LeBron James‘ arrival in Philadelphia has made nearly everything surrounding the NBA’s all-time leading scorer a 76ers story.
That now includes an uncomfortable debate over sports betting.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama delivered one of the strongest rebukes yet of NBA players promoting betting companies and prediction markets Thursday, weeks after James announced a partnership with Polymarket.
Wembanyama did not mention James by name. He didn’t need to name anyone for his comments to resonate around a league whose biggest stars increasingly have attached themselves to gambling-related businesses.
Asked whether he would ever promote a sports betting company, Wembanyama immediately shut down the possibility.
“Absolutely not. I will never do that,” Wembanyama told reporters. “Honestly, I think it’s very sad to see some players promote it. Everybody does whatever they want, but without me.”
For James and the Sixers, the timing is difficult to overlook.
LeBron James Recently Promoted Polymarket After Joining 76ers
James announced his partnership with Polymarket in September, shortly after joining Philadelphia.
The 41-year-old appeared in a promotional campaign for the prediction-market platform alongside several prominent athletes and celebrities. James’ involvement is focused on football, according to a representative who spoke with The Block. His previous partnership with DraftKings has expired.
Prediction markets differ structurally from traditional sportsbooks, allowing users to trade contracts tied to the outcomes of events. But the expanding overlap between those platforms, professional sports and gambling has produced questions about where the lines should be drawn for active athletes.
The Philadelphia Inquirer raised those questions when James’ partnership became public, noting the potential ethical complications when an active player promotes a platform where information and influence can affect markets.
James is hardly alone among NBA stars with ties to the industry. Giannis Antetokounmpo has promoted Kalshi, while Kevin Durant has partnered with FanDuel.
Wembanyama wants no part of that trend.
Wembanyama Explains Why He Turns Down Money
The Spurs star went beyond simply rejecting a potential endorsement.
Wembanyama said money once played a larger role in how he evaluated business opportunities, but his priorities have changed. He said he has rejected substantially more money than he has accepted when potential partnerships did not align with his values.
His reasoning centered on the influence NBA stars carry beyond basketball.
“Obviously, we earn millions and millions,” Wembanyama said. “This is not our biggest strength. Our biggest strength is inspiring. I want to inspire in a good way.”
Those words make his position particularly striking given James’ recent move into the prediction-market space.
There is no evidence Wembanyama was specifically targeting the 76ers star. His criticism applied broadly to players who promote betting businesses, and James is only one of several prominent NBA players who have done so.
But James also happens to be the league’s most recognizable active player — and one who unveiled a high-profile Polymarket campaign only weeks before Wembanyama drew his line in the sand.
Wembanyama made clear where he stands.
The NBA’s newest generation of superstars doesn’t necessarily intend to follow every business path opened by the one before it.
NBA Superstar Takes Veiled Shot at LeBron James Over Controversial Partnership