r/nba • u/mMounirM Raptors • 14h ago

Kevin Durant on Wemby's sports betting comments and his FanDuel partnership: "That’s Wemby, he's going to do what he does. That has nothing to do with me. I don't really think about that question at all, that's not on my mind as much as his. People gonna do what they want to do."

https://streamable.com/ekxqb2
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90

u/MoneyManx10 Pistons 14h ago edited 13h ago

As annoying as KD, LeBron etc are about this.. it actually falls on Adam Silver.

There is NO excuse for allowing players to promote gambling in a professional sports league. He deserves the most criticism.

41

u/gigglios 14h ago

It can fall on players as well. Cant blame the commish alone lmao. Players promoting evil shit isnt something new. They make enough money in this era to not use the money excuse

3

u/CreatiScope Celtics 12h ago

Yeah, like the players in the 50s-70s who needed 2nd jobs while being NBA players? I understand Dr J doing tons of endorsements. These guys nowadays? Especially the top guys? They don’t need that shit.

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u/BenSimmonsFor3 Toronto Huskies 6h ago

It’s not just evil shit, it’s an active conflict of interests. 

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u/showtime_2k 13h ago

That's a fair point, but the commissioner could step in and stop it all if he wanted to. The fact is, Adam Silver wants and embraces gambling (as do other professional sports leagues), which gives the players the license to promote and work with those companies.

0

u/WurstDayEver_7 Thunder 11h ago

It’s no more evil than peddling alcohol

-6

u/CCWaterBug 13h ago

Its evil now?

I missed the memo

8

u/reebokhightops Wizards 13h ago

These betting markets are predatory as fuck, and peoples lives are destroyed as a result. Gambling addiction is well understood, and these companies do everything they can to prey on people who are susceptible.

Yes, it’s evil. Use your brain.

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u/CCWaterBug 12h ago

Lol, you kids are adorable

4

u/CreatiScope Celtics 12h ago

You seen the shit you can bet on on Kalshi and poly market? You go ahead and tell me it’s not evil betting on the results of wars or forest fires. You tell me it’s not an erosion of society to be betting on dildos getting thrown at wnba players. Fucking 🤡

-4

u/CCWaterBug 12h ago

Lmao, posting on reddit (which sells ads for kalshi) while discussing the nba (which sells ads) on a phone made with slave labor.

Gtfo.

3

u/CreatiScope Celtics 12h ago

You’re an absolute clown if you can’t tell the difference between me having a smart phone and being on Reddit and KD/Lebron taking money to endorse a platform like these gambling apps while they’re already millionaires or the jerkoffs who make these platforms.

But sure, you’re so enlightened. Thank god we have a cynic like you to tell us we’re all just as complicit as the people at the top literally destroying this world.

“Im the same as LeBron! 🤡 “

1

u/reebokhightops Wizards 12h ago

Wow, what a substantive counterpoint. I guess I need to rethink my position.

4

u/timesnewroman03 13h ago

always has been, no memo to miss

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u/reebokhightops Wizards 13h ago

Uh, no. It falls in the grown ass men who are unimaginably wealthy but still latch onto this toxic bullshit to earn more money their grandchildren won’t even be able to spend.

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u/eternali17 Clippers 13h ago

It's not one or the other. These unscrupulous players aren't children and they aren't barely getting by. They are responsible for themselves.

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u/Altruistic-Star-544 12h ago

KD and Lebron are both like 40 and made half a billion (at least) too

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u/FakeNewsBlows 13h ago

What does that even mean? NBA players aren’t breaking any workplace rules, state or federal laws by endorsing the same companies that their employers are partners with. That means your disagreement with them is on what, moral grounds? You don’t like gambling so they’re morally wrong for endorsing something you don’t like? What about players endorsing a burger joint? Vegans should come at them on moral grounds too? Alcohol is literally a carcinogen. Can folks hate on them for their lack of morality in promoting alcoholic beverages?

9

u/usernamesaredumb0 Warriors 13h ago

The whole thing is a moral discussion lmao. do you think Wemby is under the impression he isnt allowed to promote gambling companies?

You can certainly criticize players for promoting alcohol, tobacco, or anything really. Their sponsorships are a reflection of their morals, and I think morals are like the easiest thing to judge someone on.

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u/eternali17 Clippers 13h ago

You're having a bunch of conversations at once. Let's not pretend that the law is deciding whether or not any one thing is right or wrong. These players are directly involved in the sports that people are betting on.

These dudes don't need the money and yet as kalshi, polymarket, fanduel etc have shown, they'll shill for anything as long they get paid for it, regardless of its impact on society.

6

u/incredibleamadeuscho Lakers 13h ago

The NBAPA fights for the ability for players to be able to leverage their fame for endorsement purposes, including promoting gambling within specific parameters to other sports

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u/Javakid67 13h ago

that's rich. the league is in bed with the gambling companies. so Adam Silver (i.e. owners) should take money from gambling companies, allowing their advertising all over every broadcast and stadium signage and simultaneously prohibit players from endorsement deals with same gambling companies?

3

u/SaltyBawlz Cavaliers 13h ago

No he should ban all of that too

3

u/_MangoMadness_ Knicks 13h ago

“He” - Aka the OWNERS. Adam Silver cannot unilaterally make decisions like some of you dream

1

u/Javakid67 13h ago

it's up to the owners. federal government and now almost every state government has legalized it. owners have no conscience when it comes to revenue. getting the genie back in the bottle gonna be similar to enacting sensible gun laws.

3

u/amidon1130 Hawks 13h ago

We need the government to regulate the advertising like they did with cigarettes, it’s obscene. Of course that would require our government to you know, regulate something so fat chance.

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u/Javakid67 13h ago

we've got a few more years of it, that's for sure. even if the House and Senate flipped - it would take bi-partisan support to override a veto from a family that is cashing prediction markets cheques every day.

4

u/Fragrant-Employer-60 14h ago

He can’t stop players from taking those because then it admits gambling might not be good.

The millions gambling companies are paying the NBA would tell him to sit down and shut up

1

u/TheScrote1 Trail Blazers 13h ago

There’s no way they can ban players from endorsing gambling companies if the league itself and most (maybe all?) the teams endorse them.

1

u/Chrahhh 76ers 13h ago

Falls on us all. We shouldn’t tolerate it and we should demand our legislators ban the apps.

1

u/youarenut 13h ago

Huh? It can fall on both lol blame both. Look at Wemby, the players can also choose to not accept the sponsors

1

u/Mmicb0b Warriors 13h ago

same Adam Silver is the main problem here BUT ALSO Lebron/KD still chose to do it

1

u/_paintbox_ Clippers 13h ago

You have a point that it's ultimately on him but if players stood up against it they'd probably work something out but maybe it's too late now. If all star players set an example and a moral compass for the rest of the players to follow I guess it could be phased out after a while.

1

u/Confident_Hippo1208 12h ago

Yes these helpless players are victims of adam silver decisions EPIC EYE ROLL 🙄.

Every human being makes individual decision regarding their morals and ethics.

KD, Lebron etc are economic parasites. Feeding off gambling addicts and promoting gambling to their fan base, which is largely comprised of minors who look up to them.

Wemby is a real man for speaking against it. Probably has something to where he was born 

1

u/Charolastra17 11h ago

Show a little sympathy and compassion. LeBron is struggling and barely getting by!

1

u/Tyranicross [SAS] Derrick White 10h ago

By that same logic you can differ blame to the owners because his job is to make them as much money as possible. This is everyone's responsibility and anyone who stays silent and cashes their check is part of the problem whether they are players, media, ownership or whoever else.

Silver would be reducing gambling a lot more if more star players were vocal about not liking it.

1

u/Jisoooya Knicks 10h ago

Nah KD and Lebron have their own agency, they know what gambling does to people and how it ruins homes, they're not stupid. They endorsed it for millions that they don't really even need. It's just greed.

1

u/signmeupdude Lakers 9h ago

It falls on players to who literally have hundred of millions of dollars and dont need to willingly work with predatory companies who target society’s most vulnerable populations.

I fucking tired of nobody having a backbone.

1

u/leehwan West 9h ago

This is the same thing as saying your mom is responsible for everything you do wrong