ESPN faced backlash on Thursday for one move they made during their broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The network showed an image of San Antonio Spurs legend Tony Parker while heading to a commercial break during the third quarter of the game against the New York Knicks. Fans quickly noticed, however, that the image of Parker had been modified by artificial intelligence.
Could ESPN really not find a genuine shot of Tony Parker as they cut to an ad break? Just had to use AI https://t.co/vMmMDmaUsu pic.twitter.com/Rkeysf9h3J
— Jon Healy (@JonHealy) June 4, 2026
Fans immediately noticed something off about the photo. Even more strangely, the edited image was based on a real photo of Parker celebrating the Spurs’ 2003 NBA championship, and the edit seemingly just made his smile more prominent.
it’s a real photo where it appears they altered his facial reax with AI, so that he’s now smiling more prominently. bizarre pic.twitter.com/qaX5f5YO2f
— detlef (@voidtoaster92) June 4, 2026
Fans were baffled that ESPN chose not to simply use the original picture of Parker, instead opting for an AI version that most viewers agreed was worse.
ESPN confirmed that there were three AI images used during the broadcast, which were intended to “bring iconic playoff images to life,” a network spokesperson told Colin Salao of Front Office Sports. The network is “evaluating” whether the technology will continue to be used for Game 2 following the backlash.
Parker is a Hall-of-Famer who spent 17 of his 18 NBA seasons with the Spurs. He won four championships with the franchise, and was Finals MVP in 2007.
