espn-uses-ai-bizarre-tony-parker-photo-spurs-knicks-nba-finals-game-1/0ca39a2c5a14faff6e49a4f2?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on">ESPN seemingly uses AI for bizarre Tony Parker photo during Spurs-Knicks NBA Finals Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The NBA Finals broadcasts on ABC for ESPN often try to capture the history of the sport.
That’s true in part when they go to commercial and show a past legend, like San Antonio Spurs great Tony Parker.
Well, or they show something that’s supposed to be Parker.
ESPN appeared to use AI to generate an image of Parker that they showed during the Game 1 broadcast:
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/vMmMDmaUsupic.twitter.com/Rkeysf9h3J
— Jon Healy (@JonHealy) June 4, 2026
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It’s hard to say with 100% definitive certainty that it’s an AI photo. It certainly looks like one, though.
It simply doesn’t look that much like Parker, who was a distinctive individual throughout his time with the Spurs.
Given that ESPN/ABC is broadcasting the NBA Finals, they’ve probably got access to a few moments from Parker’s career that they could use.
If it is indeed AI, it’s a really bizarre decision that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Maybe it saved a bit of time, but it also doesn’t look like him. That can’t be a good enough tradeoff.
It’ll be worth paying attention going forward to see if anything else like this pops up, or if some social media pushback helps turn this around.
