Basketball legend, LeBron James has become the first NBA athlete to partner with prediction market operator, Polymarket.
The Philadelphia 76ers star continues a recent trend among other renowned individuals in the sports industry - in June, Lionel Messi penned an agreement with Kalshi, a Polymarket competitor.
James announces Polymarket deal via lighthearted X post
Word of James' agreement with Polymarket emerged directly from the 41-year-old's personal X profile on Tuesday, September 8.
In a 60-second video, James steps out from an elevator upon reaching the sports floor – buttons for crypto, politics, economy, culture, weather, eSports and technology were also visible. Within the next room is a boisterous office littered with several notable former sportspeople and celebrities, branded 'Polymarket HQ'.
Appearances from the likes of Eli Manning, Spike Lee, Sue Bird, Alexandra Daddario, Emily Ratajkowski and Rajon Rondo, as well as a flurry of other familiar names, were seen during the short clip.
However, the post itself did not elaborate on James' specific role at Polymarket.
Follow-up Instagram post sheds light on James' role with Polymarket
A separate post uploaded to the official Polymarket Sports Instagram page on Wednesday, September 9, offered a clearer look at how James may be integrated as a brand representative.
In a 37-second Instagram Reel, the four-time NBA Championship winner sits face-to-face with viewers - and now clutches a football rather than a basketball. At the start of the clip, James is recorded as saying, "Football is back, and so are my weekly picks."
As such, James' pre-game predictions may become a recurring theme throughout the NFL calendar, which runs from September through February.
His debut picks cover imminent games across the start of the new football campaign. Specifically, James backs the Seattle Seahawks to beat the New England Patriots - an accurate selection - and forecasts the Los Angeles Rams to "come out victorious" in Australia against the San Francisco 49ers.
James also predicts the Denver Broncos to win at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday Night Football, beating the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Reel ends with James encouraging viewers to download the Polymarket app and register using his exclusive bonus code for a reward.
Polymarket continues push for professional sports collaborators
Just one week prior to this LeBron James-Polymarket accord, Front Office Sports reported that the NBA had discussed the possibility of partnering with Polymarket to support league trading options.
Earlier in September, five-time tennis Grand Slam singles winner Maria Sharapova published a public endorsement of Polymarket on her own Instagram profile, detailing features such as live trading and live streaming across events.
With Polymarket's main industry rival, Kalshi, securing prominent deals with globally recognized athletes throughout the summer, the New York-based prediction market brand will seek to leverage James' international appeal in social media spaces.
Next, fans of LeBron James can look forward to his Week 2 NFL predictions at Polymarket. If that video follows the same schedule as his inaugural picks, it should go live at least one day before Thursday Night Football on September 17.
