Hassan Maishera
TL;DR
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LeBron James teased a forthcoming partnership with Polymarket in a short video posted on X and Instagram.
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A spokesperson said the football-focused campaign will launch next week and confirmed that James’ previous DraftKings agreement has expired.
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The announcement comes weeks after prediction markets handled more than $273 million in contracts tied to James’ move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James has teased a forthcoming partnership with prediction market platform Polymarket, just six weeks after traders wagered more than $273 million on contracts tied to his decision to join the team.
James revealed the collaboration in a 14-second video posted to X and Instagram on Saturday.
“Welcome to Polymarket HQ. Coming soon,” James wrote, adding that the video was produced “in partnership with @Polymarket.”
Welcome to Polymarket HQ. Coming soon. 👀
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 5, 2026
In partnership with @Polymarket pic.twitter.com/bNe5s1IkdO
A spokesperson for James told The Block that the clip previews a broader campaign scheduled to launch next week. The spokesperson said James’ work with Polymarket will focus on football and confirmed that his previous agreement with DraftKings has expired.
The video shows James entering a stylized Polymarket office before the company’s logo and the words “COMING SOON” appear on screen. Polymarket reposted the video less than an hour after James published it at 8:30 a.m. ET.
“Thanks for swinging by our HQ,” the company wrote in response, accompanied by a goat emoji—a reference to James’ status in basketball’s greatest-of-all-time debate.
Scope of James’ Polymarket Deal Remains Unclear
The posts appear to mark the first public disclosure of a formal relationship between James and Polymarket. However, neither party has revealed the full scope of the agreement.
It remains unclear whether James will appear only in an advertising campaign or assume a broader role as an ambassador, sponsor or investor in the platform. Polymarket did not immediately respond to The Block’s request for additional information.
The announcement follows an unusually active prediction market surrounding James’ latest free-agency decision.
Traders bought and sold more than $273 million in contracts linked to his next team, according to Legal Sports Report. That total exceeded the volume generated by any individual basketball game.
Front Office Sports estimated that the market attracted approximately $226 million in trading volume on Kalshi and more than $43 million on Polymarket’s international platform.
Traders Failed to Anticipate 76ers Move
Despite the substantial volume, traders largely failed to predict James’ eventual destination.
Before his decision became public, contracts implied that the 76ers had only around a 9% chance of signing him. The Miami Heat were considered the favorites, with their probability hovering near 45%, according to Legal Sports Report.
James ultimately joined Philadelphia on a two-year, $8 million contract that includes a player option.
The veteran NBA star previously signed a multiyear agreement with DraftKings in 2024. Under that arrangement, James served as a talent ambassador for football and several major sporting events. His spokesperson has since confirmed that the deal expired, clearing the way for the forthcoming Polymarket campaign.
Partnership Attracts Criticism from Fans
The teaser generated criticism from some fans who objected to James promoting a prediction market platform closely associated with sports-related contracts.
“My glorious king, why are you promoting evil sports gambling?” one Instagram user wrote in a comment that had received approximately 4,500 likes at the time of publication.
“Don’t do this, Bron,” another user wrote in one of the most-liked replies on X, attracting more than 3,000 likes.
Neither James nor Polymarket has publicly addressed the criticism. Further details about the partnership are expected when the campaign formally launches next week.
