Victor Wembanyama rules out betting deals: 'I will never do that'
Victor Wembanyama wants no part of the betting economy. Asked Thursday whether he would ever promote a sportsbook or prediction-market brand, the San Antonio Spurs star answered before the question had fully landed.
Absolutely not. I will never do that. Honestly, I think it's very sad to see some players promote it.
He finished the thought flat, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic: "Everybody does whatever they want, but without me."
He was just as direct on how he picks brands. "There was a dimension of money in the past. Not anymore," Wembanyama said. "Even if I said that, I've refused plenty, much, much more money than I've made for things that were not to my values. And now, I want to promote things that have a good impact, have a good influence with who I can share messages and values." His bottom line: "Obviously, we earn millions and millions — this is not our biggest strength. Our biggest strength is inspiring. I want to inspire in a good way. That's the strongest thing I can do."
The deals he's passing up
Plenty of his peers have cashed in. LeBron James recently signed a Polymarket deal worth a reported $15 million a year, more than his Philadelphia 76ers salary this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo fronts Kalshi and holds a stake in the company, Kevin Durant's Boardroom has a long-running FanDuel tie-up, and Nikola Jokic is a Superbet ambassador in his native Serbia.
The NBA has taken notice. Commissioner Adam Silver said in February the league was reviewing the Kalshi-Giannis arrangement. "We currently are looking at prediction markets in the same way as sports betting companies," Silver said. "We need a better handle on all the activity happening out there."
Under the league's collective bargaining agreement, players may endorse or invest in betting and prediction-market firms; they just cannot wager on the NBA itself. The risks have already surfaced in arrests of Terry Rozier and Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones, plus the lifetime ban of Jontay Porter.
Wembanyama's own sponsor list stays elsewhere: Nike, Louis Vuitton, Fanatics and the cover of NBA 2K27.
