Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony has demanded that Pablo Torre reveal which NBA owners have been feeding him tips about LeBron James’ use of a Fanatics helicopter, intensifying scrutiny around the trading card deal between James and the sports merchandise company.
On the Season 4 premiere of Torre’s podcast 7PM in Brooklyn, released on October 15, Anthony accused NBA owners of “snitching” and said Torre “should be subpoenaed to tell us which owners” have been providing information on the Philadelphia 76ers star. “If we, as players, were saying something about the owners, that owner would find out who the f— was saying that s—,” Anthony said. “And we would be in a situation where we could be f—ed up.”
The conversation began with Anthony describing how James commutes from New York to Philadelphia early in the morning by helicopter. Torre’s investigation, which began with a Front Office Sports report on October 5, revealed that James’ January 2024 trading card deal with Fanatics included access to the company’s corporate aviation. Flight records showed the helicopter making about a dozen round trips between the two cities in one week. James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers in July.
Torre has followed up on the story by noting technical details such as the helicopter’s tail number changing to N6FN on July 17—the day James spoke at Fanatics Fest about joining a team that “trusts the process,” a phrase closely linked to the Sixers. Torre was careful to clarify, “This is not me alleging there is cap circumvention.”
During the podcast, Anthony pointed to the owners’ frustration with Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin. Rubin sold his minority stake in the Sixers in 2022 but has publicly admitted to “violating every rule the NBA had” as a minority owner, including having NBA players as investors in Fanatics. Anthony said, “These owners out here are very … I want to make sure I use the right terminology. They are very perturbed with Michael Rubin.”
James’ spokesperson told Front Office Sports that aviation access is “a feature in many of their deals with their largest athletes,” while Anthony described the helicopter as a standard sponsorship perk, adding that James’ “partner can use the company plane to get back and forth to work.”
Co-host Monica McNutt pushed back against Anthony’s “snitching” claim during the podcast, arguing, “It’s not snitching, it’s journalism.” Anthony responded by praising Torre’s investigative work. “I don’t want you to stop being a journalist, because you do great journalism, and I respect you as a journalist.”
Despite the growing attention on the story, the NBA has not announced any investigation, and no report has confirmed that James or Fanatics have violated league rules.
Torre also revealed at Front Office Sports’ Tuned In summit on October 13 that NBA owners had been sending him tips about the story, expressing surprise and concern over the details emerging around James’ helicopter use.
The controversy adds to ongoing conversations about how NBA players and owners interact behind the scenes, with Anthony highlighting the disparity in media coverage and consequences for players compared to owners. His demand that Torre identify his sources among the NBA ownership group raises questions about the league’s internal dynamics and transparency.
At this stage, the investigation remains focused on the trading card deal and the associated use of corporate aviation, with no formal action taken by the league. Carmelo Anthony’s call for Torre to name the tipsters underscores the tensions simmering beneath the surface of the NBA’s business dealings.
According to Yahoo Sports.
