Wembanyama says he will never endorse betting or prediction market companies

The Spurs star says he has turned down more money than he has made rather than promote brands that conflict with his values.

San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama has ruled out working with sports betting or prediction market companies, drawing a sharp contrast with a growing cluster of NBA players who have signed such deals.

Talking with reporters Thursday, Wembanyama was asked whether he would ever consider that type of arrangement. His answer, relayed by Jared Weiss of The Athletic, was unambiguous: "Absolutely not. I will never do that. Honestly, I think it's very sad to see some players promote it. Everybody does whatever they want, but without me."

On how he picks commercial partners, Wembanyama explained that money used to factor into his choices but no longer does. He said he has passed on opportunities worth far more than everything he has earned when a company's positioning clashed with his principles, and that his focus now is backing brands with a positive influence. "Obviously, we earn millions and millions — this is not our biggest strength," he said. "Our biggest strength is inspiring. I want to inspire in a good way. That's the strongest thing I can do."

His existing partnerships reflect that approach: Nike, Louis Vuitton and Fanatics are among the companies he works with, and he appears on the cover of Electronic Arts' "NBA 2K27" this year.

Across the league, other marquee names have moved in the opposite direction. Giannis Antetokounmpo serves as a prominent pitchman for Kalshi and holds a stake in a firm that regularly opens markets on NBA transactions, at times including ones centered on Antetokounmpo himself. LeBron James, who previously partnered with DraftKings, recently agreed to a Polymarket deal worth $15 million annually — more than the Philadelphia 76ers will pay him this season.

Kevin Durant's Boardroom company has maintained a long-standing relationship with FanDuel, and Nikola Jokic acts as an ambassador for Superbet, an operator based in his home country of Serbia.

The league office is watching the space. Commissioner Adam Silver, asked about the Antetokounmpo-Kalshi arrangement in February, said the NBA is "looking at prediction markets in the same way as sports betting companies," in comments captured by Yahoo Sports' Kelly Iko. He described Antetokounmpo's stake as minuscule and added that officials need "a better handle on all the activity happening out there."

Under the collective bargaining agreement, players are free to endorse and invest in betting and prediction market businesses as they would with any other company. The single restriction: they cannot wager on NBA games.

Legalized sports betting has brought trouble in its wake. Then-Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones were arrested on federal charges tied to NBA bets, and former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life. Players have also endured harassment and threats from unhappy bettors, a problem the NBA and other leagues jointly urged action against last month.