LeBron James teases Polymarket partnership in social media video

LeBron James teased a forthcoming partnership with Polymarket on Saturday. James posted a 14-second video on X and Instagram. The video shows James entering a stylized Polymarket office before the Polymarket logo and the words "COMING SOON" appear. James wrote, "Welcome to Polymarket HQ. Coming soon," and captioned the posts, "In partnership with @Polymarket." Polymarket reposted the X video less than an hour after James posted it at 8:30 a.m. EST Saturday morning. The posts appear to be the first reveal of a formal relationship between James and Polymarket. It remains unclear whether the teaser promotes an advertisement or a broader ambassador, investment or sponsorship arrangement. James' free-agency decision led to more than $273 million in related contracts changing hands across prediction market platforms, according to Legal Sports Report. Front Office Sports put the volume at roughly $226 million on Kalshi. Front Office Sports also reported more than $43 million on Polymarket's international platform. Prediction market traders largely missed the outcome. Before James' decision became public, the 76ers traded near 9% odds. The Miami Heat stood around 45%, according to Legal Sports Report. James later signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option. James signed a multi-year talent ambassador agreement with DraftKings in 2024. The agreement covered football and selected major events. It remains unclear whether the DraftKings partnership is still ongoing or overlaps with the Polymarket arrangement. Some fans criticized James' association with Polymarket. One fan's most-liked Instagram comment called the promotion "evil sports gambling" and had about 4,500 likes. An X user's most-liked reply said, "Don't do this Bron," and had more than 3,000 likes.