LeBron James Joins Eli Manning, Rajon Rondo & Others in Polymarket’s Viral Video
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April 30, 2025, Los Angeles, California, USA: LeBron James 23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz after loosing Round One Game Five of the 2025 NBA, Basketball Herren, USA Playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday April 30, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Lakers loses to Timberwolves, 96-103. JAVIER ROJAS PI Los Angeles USA - ZUMAp124 20250430_zaa_p124_027 Copyright: xJavierxRojasx IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Three days ago, LeBron James posted a 14-second elevator ride and called it a teaser. “Welcome to Polymarket HQ. Coming soon.” The clip had nearly 10 million views.
On Tuesday, he delivered the real commercial and tagged Eli Manning for an ice bath.
“Step inside Polymarket HQ. Somebody get the ice bath ready for @EliManning after that tackle. In partnership with Polymarket,” James wrote on X.
The spot, directed by Peter Berg, is the football-season launch of Polymarket HQ. A fictional building where every floor is a market.
Rajon Rondo is in it. So are Derek Jeter, Richard Sherman, Spike Lee, Reggie Bush, Sue Bird, Alexandra Daddario, John Leguizamo and Craig Robinson. Polymarket rolled out the campaign with Squads, a new feature for private group chats and shared picks.
Dov Kleiman called it “one of the craziest commercials of all time.” LeBron James put himself in a room with a two-time Super Bowl quarterback, a former teammate, and a Hall of Fame shortstop, then posted the video himself.
James is the first individual NBA player to sign a partnership with Polymarket, and the first individual athlete Polymarket itself has ever signed to such a deal - a genuine first for both the league and the platform, even as the NBA itself is reportedly already in separate talks with Polymarket.
The deal comes after James’ endorsement agreement with DraftKings expired earlier this summer. And a source told Front Office Sports the partnership will focus on football, mirroring the structure of his prior DraftKings deal.
Six weeks ago, traders were not watching LeBron sell a platform. They were pricing him. Combined volume on his next team reportedly blew past $270 million across Kalshi and Polymarket before he signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now the same athlete appears to be the face of the building.
Critics called the cast a “who’s who of disappointing sellouts” and flagged an active player endorsing a prediction market. Others noted X’s paid-partnership label rules.
James is not the first athlete to cross this bridge, and the pattern that preceded him explains why the backlash formed so quickly.
Golf star Bryson DeChambeau signed an ambassador deal with Kalshi in January 2026. He became the first major athlete to partner directly with a prediction market platform, and he now regularly incorporates Kalshi’s markets into his YouTube content.
NFL star Saquon Barkley is also reportedly invested in Polymarket. Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has also been connected to prediction market platforms earlier this year.
At the league level, Polymarket reportedly signed a four-year, $300 million deal to become Major League Baseball’s exclusive prediction-market partner in the US and Canada in March 2026. Their other league-level deals include the NHL, MLS, Serie A, and LaLiga, as well as team-level agreements with the New York Rangers and Yankees.
The NFL and PGA Tour, notably, do not currently allow their players to endorse prediction markets at all. A policy gap that puts the NBA in a more permissive category than two of the other major U.S. leagues.
Ubong Archibong is an NBA writer at BasketballNews, bringing over two years of experience in basketball coverage. Having previously worked with BasketballNews, Sportskeeda and FirstSportz, he has developed a strong foundation in delivering timely and engaging content around the league. His coverage focuses on game analysis, player performances, and evolving narratives across the National Basketball Association. Blending statistical insight with storytelling, Ubong aims to go beyond the immediate headline by placing performances and moments within a broader context, helping readers better understand the dynamics shaping the game. His work prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and a fan-first approach that connects audiences to both the action and the personalities behind it. Before joining BasketballNews, Ubong covered the NBA and WNBA across multiple platforms, building experience in fast-paced reporting and deadline-driven publishing. His background in content writing has strengthened his ability to balance speed with accuracy, ensuring consistent and reliable coverage for a global audience.
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