SAN ANTONIO -- Count Spurs star Victor Wembanyama as one of the professional athletes who isn't interested in promoting sports betting sites. The Frenchman expressed his view on the subject Thursday after a training camp workout.
"Absolutely not," Wembanyama said when asked if he'd ever consider promoting a sports betting website. "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."
"In the past, there was a dimension of money," he said. "Not anymore. Even if I said that, I've refused plenty, much, much more money than I've made for things that were not [in line with] 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."
Several of Wembanyama's NBA peers currently promote sportsbooks and prediction platforms, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The NBA's collective bargaining agreement treats sports betting operators and prediction markets the same when it comes down to player partnerships.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing