Source: Kevork S. Djansezian / Getty
Sports betting has become legal across the USA in the last several years, but prior to that, some big names fell to the betting underworld to get those parlays off.
One of those people happens to be Maverick Carter, the longtime friend, business partner and manager of LeBron James.
We know what you’re thinking: there may be some conflict of interest if Carter’s been betting on NBA games, given his relationship with James. But it’s even more puzzling because Carter admitted to not only gambling but illegal betting with a bookie named Wayne Nix years ago.
Nix is a former minor league baseball player who pled guilty to conspiring to run an illegal sports gambling ring in 2022. He was accused of running the operation for two decades, and his clients reportedly included current and retired professional athletes.
According to the Washington Post, Carter admitted to placing bets with Nix on 20 NBA and NFL games for somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000 each.
Regarding the team his friend and client plays for, Carter reportedly told federal agents he “could not remember placing any bets on the Lakers.”
Carter and James’ spokesperson, Adam Mendelsohn, confirmed Carter placed illegal bets before it became largely legal but says the investigation was much larger than his part, and he was never interviewed again.
“In 2021 and before 38 states and the District of Columbia legalized sports betting, Maverick Carter was interviewed a single time by federal law enforcement regarding their investigation into Wayne Nix,” Mendelsohn told the WaPo. “Mr. Carter was not the target of the investigation, cooperated, was never charged, and never contacted again on the matter.”
NBA staff –including team officials, players, league officials– aren’t allowed to bet on games. That rule also applies to agents, but business managers are excluded, so it appears Carter is in the clear.
The Athletic’s Jovan Buha received comment from James on the matter, who revealed he had no idea Carter was placing bets with an illegal bookie until the WaPo report dropped.
“The only reason it got any legs in the first place [is] because [Carter’s] so close to me. But Maverick’s his own man and at the end of the day, gambling is legal… He has no affiliation with the NBA or NFL, so he can do what he wants to do,” James said.
