NBA star James Harden mocked after AI career video misspells his name
LA Clippers guard James Harden warms up before a game. PHOTO: REUTERS
James Harden has become the target of online mockery after posting an AI-generated video recapping his basketball career that included multiple mistakes, including getting his own name wrong.
The 36-year-old National Basketball Association star shared the 69-second animated video on social media as part of a reported collaboration with Utopai Studios, praising the company’s generative model and calling it “fire.”
The Pixar-style clip shows a young version of Harden progressing into the MVP-caliber player fans know today. However, viewers quickly noticed several glaring errors.
In one moment, the name on the back of Harden’s jersey reads “Uno,” while another frame shows it as “Piufiis” instead of Harden. The video also incorrectly labels the NBA Draft as the “ONA Dran.”
utopai’s new model is 🔥@UtopaiStudios pic.twitter.com/ej1n6diqYd
Other oddities appear throughout the clip. In one sequence, the basketball vanishes mid-play before reappearing with another player, while two athletes in the background briefly morph into one. Fans also pointed out that Harden appears to shoot with the wrong hand.
The inaccuracies quickly sparked criticism online, with many users questioning why a high-profile athlete would rely on AI instead of working with human artists.
Some commenters joked that Harden could easily afford professional animators, while others said the project highlighted the flaws of current AI-generated media.
Despite the backlash, the video has still attracted millions of views across Harden’s social media platforms. The player has not publicly addressed the criticism.