An advertisement featuring two of basketball’s biggest superstars is causing a stir over an alleged gun reference — less than a week after two NBA players were suspended for carrying firearms to the locker room.

The Nike ad, which appears in several publications including Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine, features LeBron James and Kobe Bryant posing next to the quote: “Prepare For Combat: I’ll Do Whatever It Takes To Win Games. I Don’t Leave Anything In The Chamber….”

The word “chamber” is creating controversy, with some sports fans claiming the remark is a reference to firearms. Nike contends that the ad has nothing to do with gun violence.

<em>“The Nike print ad featuring Kobe Bryant was intended to illustrate his all out play and commitment on the basketball court,”</em> Nike said in a statement last week. <em>“It is a commonly used reference for shooting the basketball and no offense was intended.”</em>

The NBA has called the "Prepare For Combat" campaign "inappropriate."

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