Former NBA player Ed O’Bannon once took EA Sports to court over the unfair use of players’ likenesses in video games without those players’ consent. With that same company now announcing that they are making “EA Sports College Basketball” again, the former UCLA Bruin sounded off in a column on Sportico.
“Funny how things have changed. Back in 2009, I was EA’s enemy No. 1, because I challenged their business practice in court about the unfair use of players’ likenesses in video games without those players’ permission or any compensation,” O’Bannon wrote. “. To be clear, it wasn’t my opinion that changed their minds; it was based on the decision of the court to protect the players’ rights of using their NILs.”
He explained that EA Sports wrongfully used his image and likeness in their “March Madness” game for the Xbox 360. He found out about this when a friend invited him to play the game on his Xbox 360 and found himself playing for the UCLA Bruins and leading them to the national title in 1995. The model used had the same stats and jersey number as himself.
“The game noticeably didn’t have my name, but it had everything else: Number 31. 6’8”. 222 pounds. Power forward. Left-handed. It was very cool,” he wrote. “Ironically, my friend mentioned how he paid $60 for the game. I had no idea that this likeness was created, because no one from EA sports contacted me about it to ask for my approval or to use my NIL. And I definitely didn’t receive a dime.”
He defeated the NCAA in court, with the case being one of the factors that eventually led to the NIL era happening today. The organization was forced to settle with the House and agreed to pay athletes $2.8 billion for their name, image, and likeness.
Ed O’Bannon Says He Would Agree To Appear on EA Sports College Basketball If Company Asks
He brought the case against NCAA & EA over the illegal use of players’ likenesses in video games. That case made NIL in college sports possible. @Ed_OBannon now writes an exclusive column for @Sportico on the return of EA’s College Basketball Video Game: https://t.co/g1tMhgxx0G.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) July 3, 2025
While O’Bannon had that contentious court case against the NCAA, the former New Jersey Net revealed that if the company reaches out to him to appear in a game for an appearance on a vintage team, he would probably agree.
“I understand EA’s college basketball game won’t be released until 2028. In the meantime, maybe EA will reach out to former players on classic teams and ask us to be in the game. I’d be inclined to say yes,” he stated
Ed O’Bannon had a legendary college basketball career, leading UCLA to the NCAA national title in 1995, before entering the NBA and being drafted by the then-New Jersey Nets.
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