Dillon Brooks has found another place to challenge LeBron James: the television remote. With James preparing to begin his Philadelphia 76ers career against the New York Knicks on October 20, Brooks stars in a Kalshi campaign that gives their rivalry an opening-night advertising slot.
The centerpiece is the “King Blocker 9000,” a device pitched as a way to silence references to James. Brooks plays both the viewer watching the commercial and the disguised salesman demonstrating the product, giving the Suns forward two roles in the same joke.
Dillon Brooks brings his LeBron James rivalry to Kalshi
The demonstration targets more than James’ full name. His nicknames also trigger the device, which cuts the audio as a red label reading “Blocked” covers the salesman’s mouth. Brooks watches his disguised counterpart explain the concept through a television advertisement within the commercial. adweek.com
That setup moves their longstanding friction away from a basketball court. Brooks and James have traded words and engaged in physical competition for years. Here, Kalshi turns that familiar antagonism into a sales pitch, with Brooks promoting a way to keep his rival out of the conversation altogether.
“It’s ridiculous, it’s fun, and that’s exactly the point,” Kalshi growth chief Keaton Inglis said.
Inglis also described the campaign as an extension of a rivalry Brooks has consistently embraced.
“For this campaign, we took that feud a step further and gave fans something they could bring home,” he said.
The device also extends beyond the commercial’s premise. According to Adweek, Kalshi says it will offer a functioning version that can mute references to James through viewers’ televisions. The company has never previously paired a campaign with a physical product. Fans can enter a giveaway through a website dedicated to the promotion. www.adweek.com
For Brooks, the timing puts his latest jab alongside a significant change in James’ career. Philadelphia begins its season Tuesday, bringing the advertising gag into the same opening-night window as James’ first regular-season appearance for the franchise.
LeBron James begins his 76ers chapter against the Knicks
James enters his 24th NBA season with a fourth franchise and four championships. His pursuit of another title now runs through Philadelphia, where the Sixers have also added Jaylen Brown through a trade with Boston.
Their opening assignment brings its own spectacle. New York will celebrate its first championship in 53 years by raising a banner at Madison Square Garden before facing Philadelphia in the league’s season-opening tripleheader.
The Sixers’ preseason supplied an early look at their new personnel, although those games offered a limited view of how the team will operate, USA Today reports. Teams keep portions of their strategy private during exhibitions, and Philadelphia has multiple newcomers to integrate.
James’ versatility gives the Sixers options as they develop those combinations. He can handle different positions and move to center against smaller opposing lineups, allowing Philadelphia to use him across several roles.
Those possibilities will unfold over the season. Tuesday supplies the first regular-season look at James in Philadelphia’s lineup, with championship expectations already surrounding the roster.
Brooks has supplied the accompanying joke: while James begins another chapter, his rival has a device ready to silence any mention of it.
Dillon Brooks Sends LeBron James An Unusual Opening-Night Message