Would Wembanyama ever endorse FanDuel or Polymarket? Don't bet on it

Through his first three NBA seasons, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has signed endorsement deals with shoe companies, sports drink makers, luxury fashion brands and video-game publishers.

There is one kind of company Wembanyama vows will never get his name -- sports gambling and prediction-market sites.

Asked after Thursday's practice whether he would ever consider partnering with one - as some of his NBA counterparts have - Wembanyama was emphatic.

"Absolutely not," Wembanyama said. "I will never do that."

That stance puts Wembanyama at odds with some of the biggest names in the NBA.

Milwaukee 's Giannis Antetokounmpo is a shareholder in Kalshi, a prediction-market app. Houston 's Kevin Durant is a paid spokesman for FanDuel. Philadelphia 's LeBron James , the NBA's all-time leading scorer, recently signed a $15 million endorsement deal with Polymarket.

Without singling out any player by name, the 22-year-old Wembanyama made clear what he thinks of those choices.

"Honestly, I think it's very sad to see some players promote it," Wembanyama said.

Under league rules, players are permitted to endorse betting and prediction-market sites, provided the endorsements do not involve bets on specific NBA games or entities.

Wembanyama's portfolio includes Nike, Louis Vuitton, 2K Sports, sports-apparel company Fanatics and Barcode, a sports hydration beverage.

Like scores of Spurs stars - and non-stars - before him, he also willingly appears in locally loved H-E-B commercials each season.

But when it comes to choosing which brands to promote, Wembanyama said money is no longer the deciding factor.

"There was a dimension of money in the past. Not anymore," Wembanyama said. "Even as I say that, I've refused much, much more money for things that were not to my values."

Sticking to his principles, Wembanyama said, matters more.

"I want to promote things that have a good impact, have a good influence in the world," Wembanyama said. "Obviously we earn millions and millions, but that is not our biggest strength. Our biggest strength is inspiring and we can inspire in a good or a bad way. I want to inspire in a good way."

For Wembanyama, at least, the Kalshi odds of ever signing with a sports gambling or prediction-market site are 0 percent.

"Everyone does whatever they want," Wembanyama said, "but without me."