LeBron James' name has surfaced in the NBA's widening gambling scandal — though he's not accused of doing anything wrong.
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According to The Athletic, former player and assistant coach Damon Jones allegedly used inside information about James' playing status to help bettors place winning wagers. The indictment claims Jones, a longtime friend of James, "sold or tried to profit from non-public information" about player availability, tipping off others that James wouldn't play in a specific game.
That game was February 9, 2023, or two days after LeBron became the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The Lakers faced the Bucks, and James sat out with ankle soreness.
He hadn't yet been ruled out publicly, but the inside info was allegedly used to bet on Milwaukee to win. The Bucks did, 115-106.
The report says James had no knowledge of Jones' actions. Jones wasn't a member of the Lakers' staff at the time, but he had close ties to James, having played with him in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008 and continuing to work with him privately.
He also had access to the team's facilities, flights, and locker room.
The case highlights how easily inside information can be abused in the era of legalized sports betting. The NBA has insisted it's cooperating fully with federal authorities — but with this scandal growing by the day, it's clear the league's integrity is under the microscope like never before.
