Shaquille O’Neal adds fuel to NBA Draft lottery conspiracy, shares David Stern story

After the Dallas Mavericks landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft despite having a 1.8% chance of doing so, countless NBA fans claimed the NBA Draft lottery was rigged. During a conversation with Ashley Nevel, Shaquille O’Neal added credence to the conspiracy with a story about his experience being the No. 1 draft pick.

“In 1992, I believe the draft was in June or something. I meet [former NBA commissioner David Stern] in March,” O’Neal said. “He says to me, ‘Hey, can’t wait for you to come to the NBA.’ Then he pulls me to the side, ‘You want to play where it’s cold or it’s hot?’ He asked me that.

“And I was like, ‘Hot.’ He smiled and I smiled. Then, a couple of days later, they had the draft thing and the top three [picks]. Minnesota was No. 3. I was like [surprised]. And then Charlotte was No. 2, and then Orlando, Florida, was No. 1. I didn’t think anything about it, but you hear a lot of these conspiracy theories, and there’s a lot of situations that could make these things sound good and sound true.”

O’Neal’s story is far from the only evidence that NBA conspiracy theorists point to when claiming the draft lottery is rigged. The most infamous example occurred in 1985 when the New York Knicks won the draft lottery to select Basketball Hall-of-Fame member Patrick Ewing.

Conspiracy theorists will argue that the NBA ensured New York won the draft lottery because it’s a large market, and the NBA benefits when its most valuable franchises are successful. Of course, there are other reasons fans will claim the NBA rigs the lottery.

Notably, fans will assert that the NBA will manipulate the draft lottery to create engaging storylines. For example, in 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers won the draft lottery and, in turn, selected hometown hero LeBron James.

It’s worth noting that the Cavaliers had a 22.5% chance of winning the draft lottery — tied with the Denver Nuggets for the highest odds. Nonetheless, many fans believe it’s no coincidence that the Cavaliers took home the No. 1 overall pick.

In Flagg’s case, fans argue that both previously mentioned reasons played a role in the Mavericks winning the draft lottery. After all, the Mavericks are one of the most popular NBA teams.

With its history of international players like Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks have fans not only in the United States but across the globe. With the Mavericks’ recent trade of Luka Doncic, the organization’s future didn’t look bright.

Now, assuming the Mavericks draft Cooper Flagg, there will be a reinvigorated interest in the organization from fans, who had given up on the Mavericks after they traded Doncic. It’s a win for the Mavericks and, perhaps more poignantly, the NBA.