DraftKings announced a sports betting partnership with NBA superstar LeBron James on Wednesday.'
“Welcoming one of the most influential and greatest athletes of all time, LeBron James, to the DraftKings family is an absolute honor and privilege,” Jason Robins, CEO and co-founder of DraftKings, said in a press release. “We look forward to working with a passionate sports fan who shares the same competitive mindset that echoes throughout the walls at DraftKings, while delivering exciting engagement opportunities to our customers and his loyal fanbase for years to come.”
While James is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, he'll actually help DraftKings with “key football initiatives,” a company spokesperson said. This includes providing weekly football picks, something James had already done through his social media platforms this NFL season, among other possible content creation integrations. James has a massive social media presence, with more than 150 million Instagram followers and over 50 million X/Twitter followers.'
NBA rules allow players to represent sports betting brands, but they aren't allowed to wager on any NBA, WNBA, G-League, Basketball Africa League, or NBA2K League games. Players can bet on the NFL, though, among other leagues and games.'