Are these the exes Kendall Jenner dissed in ‘Kardashian Kurse’ Super Bowl spot

Kendall Jenner knows exactly how to turn a decades-old internet theory into a moment that dominates the biggest advertising stage in America. In her new Super Bowl spot for Fanatics Sportsbook, the supermodel leans all the way into the so-called “Kardashian Kurse,” poking fun at the idea that NBA players who date her somehow fall off afterward. The result feels less like a breakup monologue and more like a self-aware roast of the entire rumor mill that has followed her dating life for years.

The ad opens with Jenner addressing the narrative head-on, per PEOPLE. “Haven’t you heard? The internet says I’m cursed,” she says, framing the campaign as a wink rather than a defense. She then flips the premise, joking that her lavish lifestyle comes from sports betting, not relationships, before strolling past portraits of herself with unnamed basketball players. From there, the jokes sharpen, and that is where fans started dissecting every line for clues.

let’s put this kurse to the test on the biggest stage. who should I pick? @FanaticsBook @Fanatics pic.twitter.com/MkXzGaX4CX

— Kendall (@KendallJenner) January 27, 2026

Decoding the ‘Basketball Boyfriend’ Lines

The speculation really kicked off once Jenner floated in a pool and delivered the line, “Basketball Boyfriend 1 missed the playoffs. I guess nobody was getting a ring in this house.” At first glance, it sounds like a direct shot. Online sleuths immediately tried to match the comment to one specific ex, with many landing on Devin Booker simply because he came closest to winning a championship during their relationship. Booker reached the Finals and fell short, which made the line feel pointed if you want it to.

That logic starts to unravel, though, when you zoom out. Every NBA player Jenner has publicly dated has made the playoffs at some point. “Missed the playoffs” works as a generic jab that fits the mythology of the curse more than any single résumé. It plays better as a caricature than a receipt.

The second line raises eyebrows for a different reason. “Boyfriend 2 flopped right out of the league. Not that I ever drive,” she jokes while admiring a luxury car. That has fueled talk about Ben Simmons, especially given his very public career turbulence and recent life pivot that fans love to exaggerate online. Still, the wording stays intentionally vague. Jenner never references injuries, teams, or timelines. She lets the internet fill in the blanks because that is the entire joke.

The final moment, where she boards a private jet and says, “Thanks, boyfriend three,” before heading to the Super Bowl, pushes the satire even further. That line feels less like shade and more like punctuation, a reminder that she is in control of the narrative and moving on to the next headline.

What makes all of this work is the looseness. These are not receipts. They are archetypes. Jenner is not tallying wins and losses. She is parodying how fans already talk about her dating history.

Why the Ad Is About Myth, Not Men

That broader intent lines up with how the campaign was designed. Fanatics executives framed the spot as playful and participatory, not accusatory. Selena Kalvaria, Chief Marketing Officer at Fanatics Betting and Gaming, described the idea as turning internet lore into something “playful” and “of the moment.” Michael D. Ratner of OBB Media echoed that sentiment, emphasizing storytelling at the intersection of sports and culture rather than gossip.

Context matters here. Jenner has been linked to plenty of NBA players over the years, including Jordan Clarkson, Blake Griffin, and others, and her family has leaned into the joke before. A “Kendall’s Starting Five” shirt worn by Kim Kardashian on the family’s Hulu show made it clear that the curse has long lived as an inside joke, not a serious accusation.

That history makes it hard to argue that the Super Bowl spot suddenly turns personal. Jenner never names names. She never shows jerseys or cities. Instead, she exaggerates the trope until it becomes obvious satire. Comparing the decoding process to Marvel fans chasing easter eggs feels right. Viewers want a secret message, even when the message is that there is no secret.

The smartest part of the ad may be how it ends. Jenner jokes about betting on football players next, then laughs as she heads to the Super Bowl. It reframes the entire curse conversation as something she can step in and out of whenever she wants. The power dynamic flips. She is not reacting to rumors. She is monetizing them.

In that sense, the speculation almost misses the point. While it is tempting to map each line to Booker, Simmons, or any other ex, the ad works precisely because it refuses to lock into one truth. The jokes stay broad enough to feel familiar to everyone and specific enough to spark debate.

So yes, it can sound like Kendall Jenner is talking directly to former boyfriends like Booker or Simmons. But the spot never fully commits to that reading. What she actually disses is the obsession itself. The curse, the counting, the armchair analysis. That ambiguity is not a flaw. It is the punchline.

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