Despite entering the lottery with just 1.8% odds, the Dallas Mavericks landed the top selection for this year’s upcoming NBA Draft.
The unexpected result sparked countless theories across the sports world. Many floated theories suggesting the NBA granted the Mavs a favor after the team traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Dallas will now have the opportunity to draft Duke standout Cooper Flagg.
Former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal became one of the latest high-profile figures to chime in on the debate. The four-time NBA champion recalled a story from 1992 about late NBA Commissioner David Stern.
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O’Neal, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic in 1992, claimed Stern approached him before that year’s draft lottery and inquired about his preferred NBA destination.
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“[He] pulled me to the side. ‘You want to play where it’s cold or where it’s hot?’” O’Neal said. “He asked me that. I said, ‘hot’ and then he smiled and I smiled.”
A few months later, O’Neal watched as Orlando, Charlotte and Minnesota landed the top three picks.
“Minnesota was No. 3. Charlotte was No. 2 and then Orlando, Florida, was No. 1,” he said. “I was like (while making a questioning face). I didn’t think much about it. You hear a lot of these conspiracy theories. There are a lot of situations that can make these things sound good.”
O’Neal said he wanted to avoid using the phrase “conspiracy theory” but he did describe the situation as “very interesting.”
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