LeBron 'King' James Joins DraftKings as Talent Ambassador

DraftKings Sportsbook, the market leader in the U.S. and one of our best sports betting sites, announced Wednesday that it reached a deal with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James - one of the most recognizable figures in global sports - to serve as a brand ambassador.

"King James" agreed to a multi-year deal to become a "talent ambassador around football and key tentpole events" for DraftKings, the company announced with a press release on Wednesday. The terms of the deal were not released.

“Welcoming one of the most influential and greatest athletes of all time, LeBron James, to the DraftKings family is an absolute honor and privilege," the statement read. "We look forward to working with a passionate sports fan who shares the same competitive mindset that echoes throughout the walls at DraftKings while delivering exciting engagement opportunities to our customers and his loyal fanbase for years to come.”

The announcement couldn't come at a better time for the DraftKings brand, which is ramping up advertising, and the perks of its DraftKings promo code, ahead of Super Bowl 2024. Overall wagering activity over the next two weeks is expected to set records ahead of Super Bowl 58, which kicks off Feb. 11 between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Football, not basketball, focus of LeBron deal

While James has made his name on the hardwood, the NBA's all-time leading scorer will be providing insights to DraftKings users and readers about football, not basketball. That's because the NBA's collective agreement prohibits its stars from aligning with the best sports betting apps when the partnership centers around basketball.

However, under the terms of a new collective agreement signed last year, players from the Association are now allowed to represent sportsbooks in other sports. James, a former high school football star and an avid follower of the sport, will have an opportunity to share his pigskin perspective and passion for fans of the sport and of James' brand.

James' social media presence frequently includes mention of football, and he likely could have pursued a professional career had he not focused on basketball. Now he will be getting compensated for his unique perspective on North America's most bet-on game.

The King himself released a social media post Wednesday signaling his excitement of the new endeavor alongside one of the best NFL betting sites:

James may not be a professional handicapper, but his words often find the mark and hold a lot of weight with sports fans across the globe.

DraftKings scores big with James deal

Signing on with the NBA's most famous superstar is an enormous win for DraftKings, which has been closing (and even surpassing) rival FanDuel in market share amid the rapid expansion of sports betting across the U.S. and elsewhere.

Not only is James a four-time NBA champion with four MVPs and 20 All-Star selections, but he also boasts a whopping 150 million followers on Instagram as well as more than 50 million on X (formerly Twitter).

It remains to be seen just how much of an impact his weekly football picks and related content will have on the sportsbook moving forward, but landing one of the most recognizable and respected global sports betting figures has to be considered a DraftKings coup.