ESPN aired a seconds-long clip generated with artificial intelligence during its broadcast of Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, drawing criticism from basketball fans and sports journalists. The clip depicted San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, a four-time NBA champion, and it appeared inside a commercial bumper ahead of an ad break. Awful Announcing first reported the segment.
The bumper told viewers the broadcast was brought to them by Burger King and the Universal Pictures film "Minions & Monsters." As the ad box appeared on screen, the main image flashed to what looked like footage of Parker slowly wagging a finger while holding a cigar. Viewers who reviewed the clip afterward said the figure carried little resemblance to Parker, who is 44 and was not shown at the game.
Reaction spread across social media within hours of the broadcast. "Could ESPN really not find a genuine shot of Tony Parker as they cut to an ad break? Just had to use AI," journalist Jon Healy wrote on X. Sports anchor Jeff Dubrof posted a separate response that read: "AI sucks. This isn't Tony Parker. Do better. Gross."
The game drew a large national audience. The New York Knicks erased an early 14 point deficit against the Spurs, pulled ahead in the closing minutes, and courtside fans stormed the floor afterward. Futurism, which covered the reaction, noted that ESPN likely holds hundreds of hours of real footage of Parker from his years in San Antonio, along with still photography from the same period.
Source: Futurism - https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/basketball-fans-espn-nba-tony-parker-ai-slop