The line between innovation and overreach keeps getting thinner, and this time it crossed into uncomfortable territory for one of the NBA’s most recognizable figures. As AI-generated content accelerates in realism, even global superstars are finding it harder to control how their likeness is used.

That tension surfaced this week when LeBron James appeared in a new AI-generated basketball clip tied to the launch of Seedance 2.0, a video-generation model from ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant valued at more than $330 billion. The clip, released on February 9, 2026, was part of a public demo showcasing the model’s capabilities, but its presentation left little doubt why many viewed it as embarrassing for a player of James’ stature.

The video surfaced via the CN Wire X account, where multiple AI-generated demos were posted using ByteDance’s latest model. In the basketball clip, an animated version of James is shown defending a young girl, who beats him off the dribble with smooth handles before pulling up for a lay-up.

The goal of the project was clear. ByteDance was highlighting how far Seedance 2.0 has advanced in terms of fluid motion, camera consistency, and realism. Tech community feedback praised the model, with many noting it appeared to outperform OpenAI’s Sora and Kuaishou’s Kling in visual continuity and movement.

However, intent does not erase impact. Seeing a 41-year-old NBA icon placed in a scenario where he is casually outplayed, even in a fictional setting, landed poorly for fans already sensitive to how James’ image has been used in recent AI trends. The clip was not a parody, nor was it contextualized as satire. It was a polished demo, presented straight, and that is where the discomfort emerged.

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This was not an isolated case either. The same demo thread featured another cinematic AI video showing Sun Wukong from Black Myth: Wukong battling Captain America and monsters, reinforcing that James’ likeness was being used as a visual benchmark rather than a narrative subject.

LeBron James has earlier taken action against AI companies

For James, this moment carries added weight because it follows a pattern. Over the past year, AI-generated deepfakes of the Lakers star have circulated widely on social media, ranging from bizarre to outright misleading. Clips depicting him twerking, fighting other players, or appearing in fabricated scenarios have gone viral, often blurring the line between fiction and reality for casual viewers.

That growing trend is why this ByteDance demo stood out. While less crude than past examples, it still placed James in a diminishing light without his consent, using realism that makes the clip believable at first glance. As AI tools become more accessible, the risk of reputational erosion grows with every convincing prompt.

The broader concern is not just embarrassment. It is control. When a $330B company can deploy a hyper-realistic version of an athlete as a product showcase, the power imbalance becomes obvious.

This is not the first time James has taken issue with AI-generated content using his likeness. In June last year, his legal team issued a cease-and-desist letter to FlickUp, the company behind Interlink AI, after hyper-realistic deepfake videos featuring James went viral on Discord.

Those clips prompted swift action. At least three Instagram accounts posting similar content were banned, and FlickUp moved quickly to remove realistic human models from its platform. Founder Jason Stacks publicly acknowledged the situation, explaining that all realistic depictions were taken down within 30 minutes of receiving the letter.

That crackdown extended beyond James. Other NBA stars, including Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic, were also affected by the same AI tools, underscoring how widespread the issue has become.

As of February 9, 2026, there is no indication that James has taken similar action against ByteDance. Still, the Seedance 2.0 demo adds another entry to a growing list of examples showing how easily elite athletes can be placed into unwanted narratives.

For now, the clip remains a tech showcase. But it also serves as a reminder. As AI realism races ahead, preserving control over one’s likeness is no longer optional, even for someone as powerful as LeBron James.