Kendall Jenner just set the internet ablaze with a bold new commercial for Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino that takes direct aim at her NBA ex-boyfriends.
And Phoenix Suns fans? They’re not laughing.
The supermodel and reality TV star didn’t hold back, roasting her former flames while announcing she’s done with basketball players and moving on to football.
But it’s the potential rekindling of romance with Suns star Devin Booker that has Arizona sports fans genuinely concerned about the infamous “Kardashian Curse.”
Jenner’s Commercial Takes No Prisoners
In the viral advertisement, Jenner floats in a pool while casually destroying the reputations of three unnamed ex-boyfriends. The clues aren’t exactly subtle.
She thanks “Boyfriend Three” for private jet rides—a likely reference to Blake Griffin. “Boyfriend Two” allegedly flopped out of the league, which many interpreted as a jab at Ben Simmons and his controversial exit from professional basketball’s spotlight.
Then came the knockout punch aimed at “Boyfriend One”—the jersey number worn by Devin Booker.
Missed the playoffs. I guess nobody was getting a ring in this house.
Jenner delivers the line with ice-cold precision before the commercial shows her literally setting a basket full of NBA jerseys on fire.
Booker and Jenner’s Flirty Social Media Exchange
The commercial sparked an immediate reaction on social media, including a spicy exchange between Booker and Jenner that left fans divided about their relationship status.
Jenner asked Booker about his ankle injury. His response? He told her to come rub it. Simple, direct, and loaded with subtext.
Reactions poured in immediately. Some fans thought Booker was clapping back at his ex-girlfriend. Others detected obvious flirtation between the two. Cynics suggested the entire exchange was calculated marketing theater.
But Phoenix Suns fans saw something else entirely: impending doom.
Why Phoenix Fans Fear the Kardashian Curse
Sports columnist Dan Bickley captured the panic sweeping through Arizona’s basketball community. His message to Booker regarding any potential reconciliation with Jenner? Run.
The so-called Kardashian Curse suggests athletes who date family members experience notable performance declines. Call it superstition, coincidence, or cosmic punishment—but the pattern seems undeniable to believers.
Bickley points out that teenage Kim Kardashian frequently attended Suns games during Steve Nash’s era. That team never captured a championship despite coming heartbreakingly close multiple times.
- Joe Johnson suffered a broken orbital bone
- Steve Nash famously played through a bloodied nose
- Robert Horry’s notorious hip check derailed championship hopes
- The franchise accumulated “zero rings, exponential heartbreak and infinite regret”
Booker himself has endured recent struggles, though his current season tells a dramatically different story.
The Suns’ Cinderella Season Hangs in Balance
Timing couldn’t be worse for curse-related concerns. Phoenix is experiencing a magical season transformation.
Booker finally has organizational support. Dillon Brooks provides leadership and enforcement. Teammates genuinely enjoy playing together. Young head coach Jordan Ott appears locked in for the long haul.
The Suns have been a Cinderella story for more than half the season. Everything seems aligned for potential championship contention.
Which makes any Kardashian connection feel particularly ominous to superstitious fans.
Phoenix’s Historical Bad Luck
Bickley references cinema villain Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men” and his chilling question about coin tosses to illustrate Phoenix’s historical misfortune.
What’s the most you ever lost on a coin toss?
Suns fans have an immediate answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The franchise lost the future NBA legend on a literal coin toss—perhaps the most devastating lottery outcome in professional sports history.
That single moment of bad luck set a precedent for decades of near-misses and heartbreak.
Marketing Stunt or Relationship Revival?
Debate continues about whether Jenner’s commercial and subsequent social media interaction represent genuine personal history or sophisticated brand promotion.
Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino certainly benefited from viral attention. The commercial generated millions of impressions across social platforms within hours of release.
Whether Booker participated willingly in promotional activity or simply responded naturally to his ex-girlfriend remains unclear.
What is clear: Phoenix fans want nothing to do with potential curse revival, regardless of marketing effectiveness.
The Verdict from Arizona
Bickley’s column represents broader sentiment throughout Phoenix’s basketball community. After decades of disappointment, the Suns finally appear positioned for championship contention.
Nobody wants bad mojo interfering with basketball magic.
Whether curses exist or not matters less than team chemistry, health, and performance. But superstition runs deep in sports culture, especially among fan bases scarred by repeated disappointment.
For now, Phoenix fans will watch nervously as their franchise player navigates both his ankle injury recovery and his complicated relationship history—hoping neither derails what could finally be championship season.