Wembanyama betting stance: Spurs star, 22, rejects huge cash
Victor Wembanyama needed two words to answer whether he would ever promote a sports betting site: “Absolutely not.” The San Antonio Spurs star made the Wembanyama betting stance clear after a training camp workout Thursday, Oct. 1, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“I will never do that,” Wembanyama said. “Honestly, I think it’s very sad to see some players promote it. Everybody does whatever they want, but without me.”
‘Our biggest strength is inspiring’
Asked how he chooses which brands to work with, the 22-year-old said money used to factor in, but not anymore. He added that he has passed on deals worth far more than he has earned from endorsements.
“I’ve refused plenty, much, much more money than I’ve made for things that were not [in line with] my values,” he told ESPN. “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.”
Where Wembanyama betting views split from LeBron, Durant and Giannis
On the Wembanyama betting question, several of the league’s biggest names have gone the other way. ESPN noted that LeBron James moved from DraftKings to the prediction market Polymarket in September, Kevin Durant promotes FanDuel and has invested in Kalshi, and Giannis Antetokounmpo became a Kalshi shareholder in February. Nikola Jokic became Superbet’s first brand ambassador in Serbia in 2023.
Antetokounmpo announced his Kalshi stake with a post on X that he later deleted. “The internet is full of opinions,” he wrote, according to ESPN. “I decided it was time to make some of my own. Today, I’m joining Kalshi as a shareholder.”
Wembanyama did not name any of those players Thursday, and the Wembanyama betting comments were not aimed at a specific deal. He framed his choice as a matter of personal values and left room for others to decide for themselves, which is a softer line than a blanket criticism of the industry.
Those deals are allowed within limits. Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, sportsbooks and prediction markets are treated the same for player partnerships, ESPN reported. Players cannot promote betting on any NBA-related market, but they can endorse betting companies and hold small equity stakes with some restrictions.
That leaves the Wembanyama betting choice as a personal one, not a league requirement. The remarks came less than three weeks before San Antonio’s season opener against the Thunder on Oct. 20.
A Finals runner-up with a new season ahead
Wembanyama enters his fourth NBA season after leading San Antonio to its first NBA Finals since 2014. The Spurs beat Oklahoma City 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, with Wembanyama posting 22 points and seven rebounds while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 for the Thunder, per Yahoo Sports. Then the New York Knicks won the title in five games. New York clinched it with a 94-90 win in San Antonio on June 13, according to ESPN’s scoreboard.
The two-time All-Star became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year last season after leading the league in blocks for a third straight year, and he finished third in MVP voting.
Charles Barkley expects the Spurs and Thunder to rule the West for years. “It’s all about OKC and San Antonio for the next few years in the West,” Barkley told Casino Guru. “It’s going to be between those two teams the next five years, easily,” he added, as quoted by Yahoo Sports. That rivalry resumes right away in the opener.
The Wembanyama betting stance fits a broader pattern of him leaning into leadership. Off the court, he has also taken on a bigger role with France, where he was named captain for 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. For more league coverage, visit our NBA news page.