If the draft is rigged...

[mdenny]

There is zero actual evidence the draft is rigged ( and team x or y got the first pick is not evidence). This is a conspiracy theory.

If the draft were rigged....there is no way on earth that lebron and wemby would end up in smaller key cities. Cleveland is the last place the league would've wanted lebron to be.

[Shakril]

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

You perfectly described how conspiracies work. You do some reading and take some circumstantial evidence and present them as the "Truth".

What you actually did was just establishing a theory, but with nothing that backs up.

You have to test your Theory, by finding the evidence that proofs or disproofs your Thesis.

Only then, when you have done all your research and are certain about your conclusion, you can share your findings and present them as the "Truth" - which still has to be confirm by independet parties.

But you are skipping the evidence phase completly and just jump to presenting phase -> Thats how conspiracies work

[RoteSchroder]

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

You perfectly described how conspiracies work. You do some reading and take some circumstantial evidence and present them as the "Truth".

What you actually did was just establishing a theory, but with nothing that backs up.

You have to test your Theory, by finding the evidence that proofs or disproofs your Thesis.

Only then, when you have done all your research and are certain about your conclusion, you can share your findings and present them as the "Truth" - which still has to be confirm by independet parties.

But you are skipping the evidence phase completly and just jump to presenting phase -> Thats how conspiracies work

Except I haven’t reached a conclusion. I’m saying we DON’T know definitively what the actual truth is.

Problems are generally scientifically solved by presenting:

1)
A null hypothesis (Ho): Earth is flat
An alternative hypothesis (Hi): Earth is not flat

2)
Then working out a methodology

3) conducting the research and obtaining results

4) arriving at a conclusion

You are already at #4, saying that we shouldn’t even be presenting this problem and that it’s 100% certain that the Earth is flat. Whereas, I’m still at #1.

A literature review is slightly different, as it involves going over the work of others. Ideally, you read everything, not just selective information. And you can weed out low quality information like in a systemic review. In many instances, the conclusion can be that further research is required.

[Pointgod]

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

You perfectly described how conspiracies work. You do some reading and take some circumstantial evidence and present them as the "Truth".

What you actually did was just establishing a theory, but with nothing that backs up.

You have to test your Theory, by finding the evidence that proofs or disproofs your Thesis.

Only then, when you have done all your research and are certain about your conclusion, you can share your findings and present them as the "Truth" - which still has to be confirm by independet parties.

But you are skipping the evidence phase completly and just jump to presenting phase -> Thats how conspiracies work

Except I haven’t reached a conclusion. I’m saying we DON’T know definitively what the actual truth is.

Problems are generally scientifically solved by presenting:

1)
A null hypothesis (Ho): Earth is flat
An alternative hypothesis (Hi): Earth is not flat

2)
Then working out a methodology

3) conducting the research and obtaining results

4) arriving at a conclusion

You are already at #4, saying that we shouldn’t even be presenting this problem and that it’s 100% certain that the Earth is flat. Whereas, I’m still at #1.

A literature review is slightly different, as it involves going over the work of others. Ideally, you read everything, not just selective information. And you can weed out low quality information like in a systemic review. In many instances, the conclusion can be that further research is required.

All the posters who’s claiming the draft is rigged has presented zero evidence or methodology to get to that conclusion other than the fact that a random process has produced random results…. you guys are literally just like “trust me bro”

[RoteSchroder]

You perfectly described how conspiracies work. You do some reading and take some circumstantial evidence and present them as the "Truth".

What you actually did was just establishing a theory, but with nothing that backs up.

You have to test your Theory, by finding the evidence that proofs or disproofs your Thesis.

Only then, when you have done all your research and are certain about your conclusion, you can share your findings and present them as the "Truth" - which still has to be confirm by independet parties.

But you are skipping the evidence phase completly and just jump to presenting phase -> Thats how conspiracies work

Except I haven’t reached a conclusion. I’m saying we DON’T know definitively what the actual truth is.

Problems are generally scientifically solved by presenting:

1)
A null hypothesis (Ho): Earth is flat
An alternative hypothesis (Hi): Earth is not flat

2)
Then working out a methodology

3) conducting the research and obtaining results

4) arriving at a conclusion

You are already at #4, saying that we shouldn’t even be presenting this problem and that it’s 100% certain that the Earth is flat. Whereas, I’m still at #1.

A literature review is slightly different, as it involves going over the work of others. Ideally, you read everything, not just selective information. And you can weed out low quality information like in a systemic review. In many instances, the conclusion can be that further research is required.

All the posters who’s claiming the draft is rigged has presented zero evidence or methodology to get to that conclusion other than the fact that a random process has produced random results…. you guys are literally just like “trust me bro”

Yup, it may not be rigged at all. But it seems many people are making definitive conclusions for both sides of the argument.

[Syd-TK3]

There is zero actual evidence the draft is rigged ( and team x or y got the first pick is not evidence). This is a conspiracy theory.

If the draft were rigged....there is no way on earth that lebron and wemby would end up in smaller key cities. Cleveland is the last place the league would've wanted lebron to be.

Storylines matter

[DreamTeam09]

There is zero actual evidence the draft is rigged ( and team x or y got the first pick is not evidence). This is a conspiracy theory.

If the draft were rigged....there is no way on earth that lebron and wemby would end up in smaller key cities. Cleveland is the last place the league would've wanted lebron to be.

The clv kid starting his career in clv makes total sense from a conspiracy standpoint, it's not like LBJ didn't end up in 2 of the biggest markets in each conference over his career.
Wemby in SA makes total sense from a conspiracy standpoint as well, wouldn't necessarily call SA a small market either

[WhatsaTDot]

Why would Wemby going to Spurs mean that it's rigged?

Tim Duncan is still on the staff team mentoring him

Tony Parker and the French connection

NBA gets to build the Spurs 2.0 back. Why do you think Pop is still coaching? It became an unwatchable franchise to one everyone around the world will watch

From an earnings standpoint, the worst decision is to have THE generational player in a small market like San Antonio.

[SirKen]

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

You perfectly described how conspiracies work. You do some reading and take some circumstantial evidence and present them as the "Truth".

What you actually did was just establishing a theory, but with nothing that backs up.

You have to test your Theory, by finding the evidence that proofs or disproofs your Thesis.

Only then, when you have done all your research and are certain about your conclusion, you can share your findings and present them as the "Truth" - which still has to be confirm by independet parties.

But you are skipping the evidence phase completly and just jump to presenting phase -> Thats how conspiracies work

You seem to have some problems with definitions, so let me help you a bit.

conspiracy
/kən-spîr′ə-sē/
noun
1. An agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act.
2. A group of conspirators.

conspiracy theory
noun
1. A hypothesis alleging that the members of a coordinated group are, and/or were, secretly working together to commit illegal or wrongful actions including attempting to hide the existence of the group and its activities. In notable cases the hypothesis contradicts the mainstream explanation for historical or current events.
2. (dismissive) Hypothetical speculation that is untrue or outlandish.

It is important to remember that we live in a world that has no wrongdoings and no conspiracies that would benefit the conspirators in any field that could impact any parts of our lives. Any and all arguments that might suggest otherwise in any area should be dismissed immediately without taking a closer look or without even participating on a surface level debate, regardless of whether it is on a sports forum that most people visit as a hobby. Especially because that would be dangerous thinking!!

LOL

[bonjovi0308]

The idea that the draft is rigged is one of the stupidest conspiracy theories out there and it just shows how people don’t have any intellectual curiosity about how things work.

I am probably wealthier than you are

[bonjovi0308]

Rigtard threads shouldn't be allowed. If you think its so rigged you should find someone to take action on your bets every draft night. I gotta start doing this with a riggy I know personally.

It's so **** annoying. They wait for the result of the draft then backsolve for how it's rigged. Look I can literally do it right now for every lottery team getting the #1 pick.

1.) Wizards - Bottom of the league for a while, putting the next American Great White Hope in the nation's capital
2.) New Orleans - Need a new star after the collapse of Zion and trading Ingram away
3.) Utah - Town that would embrace a white American star more than anywhere else
4.) Charlotte - LaMelo is one of the league's most marketable players, give him a star running mate
5.) Toronto - Throw off the scent on the rigged lotto

... and so on and so forth.

It’s incredibly annoying on multiple fronts.

If you think the draft is rigged what’s stopping them from rigging games (there is massive overlap between people who think the draft is rigged and the refs are “against us”).

You have to be a flat out idiot to continue to support the NBA if you think the draft is rigged because that also suggests they’d rig everything else. If that’s the case why would you ever be a Raptor fan when the league is actively stacking the deck against us?

Guess you miss there are also many fans for the wwe

[Pointgod]

Except I haven’t reached a conclusion. I’m saying we DON’T know definitively what the actual truth is.

Problems are generally scientifically solved by presenting:

1)
A null hypothesis (Ho): Earth is flat
An alternative hypothesis (Hi): Earth is not flat

2)
Then working out a methodology

3) conducting the research and obtaining results

4) arriving at a conclusion

You are already at #4, saying that we shouldn’t even be presenting this problem and that it’s 100% certain that the Earth is flat. Whereas, I’m still at #1.

A literature review is slightly different, as it involves going over the work of others. Ideally, you read everything, not just selective information. And you can weed out low quality information like in a systemic review. In many instances, the conclusion can be that further research is required.

All the posters who’s claiming the draft is rigged has presented zero evidence or methodology to get to that conclusion other than the fact that a random process has produced random results…. you guys are literally just like “trust me bro”

Yup, it may not be rigged at all. But it seems many people are making definitive conclusions for both sides of the argument.

I mean if you’re making the claim that it’s rigged, then the burden of proof is on you to provide evidence to prove it. The reason that the NBA literally has an accounting firm oversee and audit the lottery is to provide concrete evidence that the process is transparent and fair.

[Pointgod]

The idea that the draft is rigged is one of the stupidest conspiracy theories out there and it just shows how people don’t have any intellectual curiosity about how things work.

I am probably wealthier than you are

The fact that you have to flex that on a message board probably means you’re not.

[bonjovi0308]

Thats a false equivalance (i hopre i wrote it right).

Its upon the sceptics to proofs its rigged, not the other way round.
As of now it is 100% certain, that it isnt rigged, unless you can proof that it isnt.

That’s not how it works.

People used to think the Earth was flat, but people like you didn’t allow others to speculate whether it was round. There was no foolproof evidence for either narrative at the time. You can’t say it’s 100% certain the Earth is flat and that it’s on the skeptics to prove that the Earth is round.

When there is no foolproof evidence for either side or even strong evidence, you don’t make conclusive statements for either narrative. It can be open to speculation.

Are you suggesting there is no proof that the draft isn't rigged?

What about the fact that a representative from Ernst & Young (an audit firm) oversees the entire process. Is that not in turn some assurance that there is no rigging?

Obviously you are not working in the finance industry think E&Y is proof of confidence

[bonjovi0308]

There was also a theory someone floated here speculating we beated the odds and got the 4th pick (barnes) during the covid year was a 'compensation' as we couldn't play in Toronto that year

[RoteSchroder]

All the posters who’s claiming the draft is rigged has presented zero evidence or methodology to get to that conclusion other than the fact that a random process has produced random results…. you guys are literally just like “trust me bro”

Yup, it may not be rigged at all. But it seems many people are making definitive conclusions for both sides of the argument.

I mean if you’re making the claim that it’s rigged, then the burden of proof is on you to provide evidence to prove it. The reason that the NBA literally has an accounting firm oversee and audit the lottery is to provide concrete evidence that the process is transparent and fair.

I'm not claiming it's rigged, I'm claiming that the possibility exists.

[ConSarnit]

Third parties can be bought or corrupt. The FDA, for example, also got caught up in a several scandals, some known to the public, many unknown.

Ernst & Young themselves got caught in a scandal where they had to pay up $100 M for cheating on ethics exams. Double whammy considering they’re the ones who are supposed to catch cheaters and that it was an ethics exam.

When informed of potential cheating, they investigated themselves and claimed that there were no cheating issues.

So you think Ernst and Young is sacrificing their entire reputation so Wemby goes to SA instead of a massive market like Chicago?

That’s NOT to say the draft is rigged, only that there’s no 100% certainty of anything without full transparency. I would accept it with 100% certainty if they made certain tweaks to the ping pong machine process, for instance.

What a bull argument.

There is full transparency. Every GM and Owner understands the process, and it is publicly posted.

The 40th annual NBA Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2025 NBA Draft. Drawings will be conducted to determine the first four picks in the NBA Draft. The remainder of the “lottery teams” will select in positions five through 14 in inverse order of their 2024-25 regular-season records.

The actual lottery procedure will take place in a separate room just before ESPN’s national broadcast. Select media, NBA officials and representatives of the participating teams and the accounting firm Ernst & Young will be in attendance for the drawings.

Fourteen ping-pong balls numbered 1 through 14 will be placed in a lottery machine. There are 1,001 possible combinations when four balls are drawn out of 14, without regard to their order of selection. Before the lottery, 1,000 of those 1,001 combinations will be assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams. The lottery machine is manufactured by the Smart Play Company, a leading manufacturer of state lottery machines throughout the United States. Smart Play also weighs, measures and certifies the ping-pong balls before the drawing.

The drawing process occurs in the following manner: All 14 balls are placed in the lottery machine and they are mixed for 20 seconds, and then the first ball is removed. The remaining balls are mixed in the lottery machine for another 10 seconds, and then the second ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the third ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the fourth ball is drawn. The team that has been assigned that combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The same process is repeated with the same ping-pong balls and lottery machine for the second through fourth picks.

If the same team comes up more than once, the result is discarded and another four-ball combination is selected. Also, if the one unassigned combination is drawn, the result is discarded and the balls are drawn again. The length of time the balls are mixed is monitored by a timekeeper who faces away from the machine and signals the machine operator after the appropriate amount of time has elapsed.

A representative from Ernst & Young oversees the entire lottery process and stuffs and seals the envelopes before bringing them to the studio for the broadcast. The announcement of the lottery results will be made by NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. A second representative from each participating team will be seated on stage. Neither the Deputy Commissioner nor the team representatives on stage will be informed of the lottery results before the envelopes are opened. The team whose logo is in the last envelope opened will have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Do you not understand how ridiculous it is suggest that this could be rigged? In total we have

The NBA
14 Team Reps
Ernst and Young (a reputable firm of auditors)
Smart Play Co.

17 different parties involved. And they are all conspiring? Some against their own best interests?

Do you not get how much money is on the line? E&Y generates 51B of revenue per year. That trumps the NBAs $11B. They aren't risking their entire reputation over a **** raft lottery.

Why would all 17 parties be involved, you know something I don’t or are you making assumptions?

Knowing and understanding the process, doesn’t mean they scrutinize and check on the process. Has a single one of them taken apart the platform they put the transparent ping pong container on?

Pretty sure EY already tarnished their reputation. No one cares. Michael Franzese (Mafia) admitted that they fixed games with two NBA refs on their payroll, no one cares. And the NBA is a billion dollar business.

No one cares about “tarnishing reputation”, especially of firms no one has ever heard of. Coca Cola was accused of hiring death squads to murder trade union leaders, we’re all still drinking coke aren’t we? no one cares. It’s probably harder to find a clean billion dollar business if anything.

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

Please, by all accounts regale us with your “literature review” to show how the draft might be rigged. If you could post the JSTOR links that would be even better.

Congrats on having the dumbest post of 2025 (so far). “Literature review” LOLOLOL

[RoteSchroder]

So you think Ernst and Young is sacrificing their entire reputation so Wemby goes to SA instead of a massive market like Chicago?


What a bull argument.

There is full transparency. Every GM and Owner understands the process, and it is publicly posted.



Do you not understand how ridiculous it is suggest that this could be rigged? In total we have

The NBA
14 Team Reps
Ernst and Young (a reputable firm of auditors)
Smart Play Co.

17 different parties involved. And they are all conspiring? Some against their own best interests?

Do you not get how much money is on the line? E&Y generates 51B of revenue per year. That trumps the NBAs $11B. They aren't risking their entire reputation over a **** raft lottery.

Why would all 17 parties be involved, you know something I don’t or are you making assumptions?

Knowing and understanding the process, doesn’t mean they scrutinize and check on the process. Has a single one of them taken apart the platform they put the transparent ping pong container on?

Pretty sure EY already tarnished their reputation. No one cares. Michael Franzese (Mafia) admitted that they fixed games with two NBA refs on their payroll, no one cares. And the NBA is a billion dollar business.

No one cares about “tarnishing reputation”, especially of firms no one has ever heard of. Coca Cola was accused of hiring death squads to murder trade union leaders, we’re all still drinking coke aren’t we? no one cares. It’s probably harder to find a clean billion dollar business if anything.

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

Please, by all accounts regale us with your “literature review” to show how the draft might be rigged. If you could post the JSTOR links that would be even better.

Congrats on having the dumbest post of 2025 (so far). “Literature review” LOLOLOL

character assassination and ridicule is a common method for people who don't want to get to the truth

[SirKen]

Rigtard threads shouldn't be allowed. If you think its so rigged you should find someone to take action on your bets every draft night. I gotta start doing this with a riggy I know personally.

It's so **** annoying. They wait for the result of the draft then backsolve for how it's rigged. Look I can literally do it right now for every lottery team getting the #1 pick.

1.) Wizards - Bottom of the league for a while, putting the next American Great White Hope in the nation's capital
2.) New Orleans - Need a new star after the collapse of Zion and trading Ingram away
3.) Utah - Town that would embrace a white American star more than anywhere else
4.) Charlotte - LaMelo is one of the league's most marketable players, give him a star running mate
5.) Toronto - Throw off the scent on the rigged lotto

... and so on and so forth.

While I can agree with your argument, those examples are all crap. None of them has any explanation directly correlated with more money.

[ConSarnit]

Why would all 17 parties be involved, you know something I don’t or are you making assumptions?

Knowing and understanding the process, doesn’t mean they scrutinize and check on the process. Has a single one of them taken apart the platform they put the transparent ping pong container on?

Pretty sure EY already tarnished their reputation. No one cares. Michael Franzese (Mafia) admitted that they fixed games with two NBA refs on their payroll, no one cares. And the NBA is a billion dollar business.

No one cares about “tarnishing reputation”, especially of firms no one has ever heard of. Coca Cola was accused of hiring death squads to murder trade union leaders, we’re all still drinking coke aren’t we? no one cares. It’s probably harder to find a clean billion dollar business if anything.

Honestly, I don’t care much either way, but from a personal perspective, if I want to get to the truth, usually my go to method isn’t, “lol it’s a conspiracy”, it’s more so taking in all the information and all the possibilities (e.g. like conducting a literature review) and seeing if what we know holds up to scrutiny.

Please, by all accounts regale us with your “literature review” to show how the draft might be rigged. If you could post the JSTOR links that would be even better.

Congrats on having the dumbest post of 2025 (so far). “Literature review” LOLOLOL

character assassination and ridicule is a common method for people who don't want to get to the truth

Show us the literature! We must see the literature!