LeBron James sends Bron AI a cease-and-desist over AI ad

LeBron James's representatives sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bron AI, the AI-powered sports betting app owned by PlayVision Inc., over an AI-generated promotional video that used a character bearing his likeness, according to the letter obtained by Front Office Sports.

The letter, from attorney Lawrence Shire of the law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, objects to the "unauthorized use and illicit exploitation of" the NBA star's "name, nickname, likeness, image, persona, and other identifying attributes, materials and related information," Front Office Sports reported. It was sent to PlayVision, Bron AI's parent company. "LeBron is in no way affiliated with this unauthorized use of his likeness," a spokesperson for James told the outlet.

Bron AI CEO Anish Gupta posted the promotion to X on November 4, introducing the product as "The TikTok for Sports Betting," according to Complex. The video, which Complex reported passed more than 900,000 views in less than 24 hours, shows a character in a jersey reading "Bron" and the number 23 browsing the app in a voice resembling James's. The character stops on a photograph of Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks. "Dillon Brooks? On Kalshi? Hell nah," he says.

The New York Post reported that James's face does not appear in the clip. The character is shown from behind, with his back, tattoos and walk reproduced, and a voice close to James's.

The letter calls the use "especially serious and egregious" because James holds an exclusive endorsement agreement with the prediction market Polymarket, and because the advertisement implies he is "involved with betting on basketball, which is a very serious violation of NBA rules and regulations," according to the letter. James previously worked as a DraftKings brand ambassador, a role Complex reported he began in January 2024.

The letter demands that Bron AI permanently stop using James's likeness "in any manner and media," remove the advertisement, and notify every person who has used the app, in writing, that James has no involvement with the company. It says James "intends to take any and all steps to enforce his rights as appropriate."

Bron AI drew a second cease-and-desist from Luka Dončić, James's former Los Angeles Lakers teammate, after his photograph appeared in the promotion, according to Complex. The advertisement also included NBA players Donovan Mitchell and Giannis Antetokounmpo and NFL players Christian McCaffrey and Jayden Daniels, Front Office Sports reported. Complex reported that by the afternoon of November 5 the promotion had been removed from X and Instagram.

Adam Mendelsohn, James's longtime media adviser, told Front Office Sports the episode may have been designed to provoke the letter. "I'm sure the intent here was for us to send a cease and desist in order to make it a story," he said. "You would prefer not to respond but you don't have a choice in a situation like this."

Bron AI, which Front Office Sports described as aggregating odds from sportsbooks and prediction markets and placing bets on other apps, is owned by PlayVision Inc., a company founded in 2025 and backed by the venture-capital firm Y Combinator. The app is free to download; its "pro" tier costs $249.99 a year or $29.99 a month, according to Front Office Sports. Bron AI and PlayVision did not respond to the outlet's requests for comment.

Darren Heitner, a college sports attorney, told Front Office Sports the ad is "shocking," and that "the combination of the nickname 'Bron,' the number 23, and the physical presentation, as well as the similarity in voice, seems designed to evoke him and capitalize on his stature in connection with an unrelated sports betting product." He added, "That is the type of unauthorized commercial use the right of publicity is intended to address."

The demand follows a similar one. In May, an attorney for Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sent a cease-and-desist to the prediction market and fantasy company Underdog over a promotional item, and Underdog refused to comply, Front Office Sports reported. Nothing in the James letter has been tested in a court, and its demands take effect only if Bron AI complies or a suit follows.

The next step is Bron AI's response to the letter's demands. No lawsuit has been filed, and the letter set its own deadline for compliance: 5:30 p.m. on November 5, 2026.