A contemporary artist sued the New Orleans Pelicans for using rows of wall-mounted deflated basketballs in the background of the team’s social media posts, alleging infringement of his art.

Tyrrell Winston called a 5-by-5 array of deflated balls mounted on a white wall behind players in the posts a “willful” and “identical” copy of his own 5-by-5 piece, his Wednesday complaint in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan said. Sample Instagram posts by the NBA team in the complaint featured players Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram and Daniel Theis posing in front of the display.

Winston’s lawsuit says his contemporary art has generated international acclaim, including an invitation to be featured during the All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis in 2024. His broader “Skewers” series of rectangular deflated basketball arrays of varying sizes has “drawn widespread attention for its thoughtful and emotional depth,” his suit said.

He accused the team of willfully creating or commissioning the work “intentionally to capitalize on the distinctiveness of Mr. Winston’s signature style and the popularity of the art work.”

Copyright Office records indicate Winston registered his cited works, featuring the same 5-by-5 alignment as the backdrop of the Pelicans’ posts, on June 18,after the alleged 2024 infringement. Works must be registered before infringement or within three months of publication for a plaintiff to win statutory damages or attorney fees. Winston’s “R.O.I.” and “Manhattanhenge” were created in 2020 and 2023 respectively.

The display used as a background by the Pelicans features the same “distinctive grid-based composition of deflated basketballs” against a white backdrop to “mimic the aesthetic” of Winston’s work, the complaint said. While the balls in each particular spot vary in the tones of brown and orange, the copy uses the same palette to create the same worn, monochromatic effect.

The complaint also noted that online comments recognized Winston’s work, with one demanding the team “Cut the check for @tyrrellwinston !!”

The Pelicans didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jayaram Law PLLC represents Winston.

The case is Winston v. New Orleans Pelicans NBA, LLC, E.D. Mich., No. 2:25-cv-12346, Complaint 7/30/25.