Key Takeaways
- LeBron James sent Bron AI a cease-and-desist letter over an unauthorized ad that used an AI lookalike and a voice resembling his to promote basketball betting tools.
- His attorneys say the ad falsely suggests an endorsement and risks implying he bets on basketball in violation of NBA rules, demanding its removal and written clarification that James has no connection to the company.
- Luka Dončić also sent a cease-and-desist over his photo’s appearance in the promotion, which drew more than 900,000 views before disappearing from X and Instagram on November 5.
LeBron James isn't letting a sports betting app put words in his mouth—or wagers in his hands.
The Philadelphia 76ers superstar has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bron AI after the company released an ad featuring a lookalike wearing his No. 23 jersey, complete with "Bron" across the back.
But the problem goes well beyond an unauthorized celebrity impersonation: The ad appears to show James using a betting app to research basketball wagers, something his attorneys say could create the impression that he's violating NBA gambling rules.
According to Front Office Sports, the promotional video was posted on Wednesday, November 4, by Bron AI CEO Anish Gupta, who introduced the platform as "The TikTok for Sports Betting." The AI-generated character, whose voice also resembles James', scrolls through the app before landing on Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks.
"Dillon Brooks? On Kalshi? Hell nah," the character says.
The video attracted more than 900,000 views in less than 24 hours. James' representatives weren't amused.
"LeBron is in no way affiliated with this unauthorized use of his likeness," a spokesperson told Front Office Sports.
Attorney Lawrence Shire subsequently sent PlayVision Inc., the company behind Bron AI, a letter accusing it of exploiting James' name, nickname, image, and identity to suggest an endorsement that doesn't exist.
The letter called the advertisement "especially serious and egregious," arguing that it implies James is "involved with betting on basketball, which is a very serious violation of NBA rules and regulations."
That's where things get particularly complicated.
James already has an exclusive endorsement agreement with prediction market platform Polymarket. He previously became a DraftKings brand ambassador in January 2024.
His attorneys demanded that Bron AI permanently stop using his identity, remove the advertisement and notify users in writing that James has no connection to the company. The letter also warned that James intends to pursue appropriate measures to protect his rights.
And James isn't the only NBA star objecting.
Luka Dončić, his former Lakers teammate, also sent Bron AI a cease-and-desist letter after his photograph appeared in the promotion, according to Front Office Sports. The advertisement additionally featured Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Christian McCaffrey and Jayden Daniels.
By Thursday afternoon, November 5, the controversial promotion had been removed from X and Instagram.
James' longtime media adviser Adam Mendelsohn suggested the entire episode may have been designed to provoke exactly this reaction.
"I'm sure the intent here was for us to send a cease and desist in order to make it a story," Mendelsohn told Front Office Sports.
"You would prefer not to respond but you don't have a choice in a situation like this," he continued. "It's not the first time and it won't be the last. For what it's worth, these gimmicks never work because people see through it."
Bron AI, backed by Y Combinator, offers users betting research and automated wagering tools, with a paid subscription option. Neither the app nor PlayVision responded to Front Office Sports' requests for comment.
This also isn't James' first confrontation with unauthorized AI content. In 2025, his representatives demanded that the creators of Interlink AI address videos generated using his likeness, including bizarre depictions of the basketball star.
