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Sports

LeBron James Sends Cease-and-Desist to Bron AI Betting App Over AI Likeness in Ad

LeBron James and Luka Doncic had a lawyer send a cease-and-desist letter to PlayVision, the company behind the Bron AI sports betting app, after a video ad that used an AI version of James went viral on social media.

By admin Nov. 6, 2026 · 7:43 PM ET 1 min read

An empty professional basketball arena with a hardwood court and rows of empty seats.

LeBron James has told the company behind the Bron AI sports betting app to stop using his likeness, after a video ad that used an AI-generated version of the Philadelphia 76ers star went viral on social media this week.

James and his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Luka Doncic had a lawyer send a cease-and-desist letter to PlayVision Inc., the sports technology startup that owns the Bron AI app, Front Office Sports reported Friday.

An orange basketball resting on a polished hardwood court in an arena.

The ad went viral on Wednesday. It never shows James’s face. Instead it shows a player from behind, with a voice that sounds like his and tattoos on his arms, and a jersey that reads “Bron” rather than “James.” The video also copies his walk at the end of the ad. One clear difference: the AI version has hair, while James now sports a bald look.

James has an exclusive endorsement deal with Polymarket, a prediction market platform, and told PlayVision to stop using his likeness without authorization.

Doncic also objected

Doncic does not appear in the video, but he and his team objected to how he was shown elsewhere in the Bron AI app, according to the New York Post.

A basketball hoop and backboard seen from below under bright arena lights.

The ad had been circulating for a few days before James’s team acted, according to the New York Post.

A basketball player seen from behind in a plain dark jersey, mid jump shot in an arena.

Reporting based on coverage by the New York Post and Front Office Sports.

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