Victor Wembanyama refuses sports-betting deals at Spurs practice
San Antonio Spurs 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama told San Antonio Express-News columnist Mike Finger at a Spurs practice on Thursday that he would not partner with a sports betting firm, saying "Absolutely not" and "I will never do that." He added, "Honestly, I think it’s very sad to see some players promote it. Everybody does whatever they want, but without me."
The NBA now runs advertising for FanDuel and DraftKings and shows betting odds during its broadcasts, and until a streaming service ended a few months ago a number of games streamed exclusively on FanDuel Sports Network. High-profile players have taken positions inside the gambling and prediction-market ecosystem: LeBron James is the face of Polymarket, Kevin Durant reads FanDuel odds and invests in Kalshi, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Kalshi shareholder. Wembanyama’s refusal sits against that prevailing trend.
Wembanyama’s blunt rejection drew notice because player partnerships with gambling companies have become commonplace and commercially visible across the league. The Spurs’ youngster has repeatedly stated he will not take offers from betting firms, a stance that leaves a clear public record should he ever change his mind.
The Spurs’ centre has also spoken publicly on political issues. Asked about the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in January, Wembanyama said: "Yeah, PR has tried, but I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer]. Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified. I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like or sound like the murder of civilians is acceptable."
There is a critical reading of Wembanyama’s timing: he arrived at the comment after a campaign of mixed coverage. The article notes he followed a brilliant playoff run through three rounds with a difficult NBA finals performance that included a pass thrown off a teammate’s back in decisive moments of one game, two missed free throws late in another in which the Spurs failed to consolidate a 29-point lead into victory, an ejection for elbowing Naz Reid in the neck, and instances where he succumbed to the brand of foul-baiting he had previously criticised.
The piece contrasts Wembanyama’s stance with how the market has treated other players’ partnerships: James’s Polymarket deal was "immediately and emphatically unpopular," yet the story says that did not prompt questions at the Philadelphia 76ers’ media day. The article argues that by rejecting sports-betting endorsements Wembanyama has, in effect, improved his standing with sections of the fanbase.
He left behind a receipt. For Wembanyama, any eventual embrace of gambling "will be met with fans’ usual criticism – and his own words echoed back at him."