The NBA draft lottery has long been the topic of conspiracy theories, with many fans questioning whether the league steers top prospects to certain teams. There is the infamous frozen envelope rumor involving the New York Knicks and Patrick Ewing in 1985, in which the league knew which one to select because it was cold to the touch.
More recently, Anthony Davis ended up with the New Orleans Pelicans shortly after they began being run by the NBA. However, perhaps the most infamous one is the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers landed the number one pick the same year that Ohio native LeBron James was set to enter the NBA Draft.
James even suggested that something was fishy during his recent appearance on the Pat McAfee show; take a look.
“I just didn’t wanna be a fuck up..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 26, 2025
Nobody gets this opportunity and I knew that I couldn’t be a fuck up” ~ @KingJames #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/eEmRrOGb4o
James was likely joking, at least somewhat, and if not entirely unfeasible, that the Cavaliers ended up with the worst record that year.
After all, they were awful, and ending up with the worst record guaranteed them 5% chance at landing the top pick. If someone told you that there's a 25% chance it would rain, then you might pack an umbrella or at least wear a hat.
Therefore, it's not crazy that Cleveland ended up with the number one overall pick. Nevertheless, LeBron's comments will no doubt add fuel to the conspiracy fire that has plagued the NBA for years.
The Lakers' LeBron James "suggests" the NBA Draft Lottery is rigged
There has long been a sense of questions about whether the NBA is at least partly rigged. There may be a kernel of some truth to some conspiracy theories surrounding the NBA. On the other hand, they are often facts to counter them.
Perhaps a case in point of why the NBA draft lottery isn't rigged is that the San Antonio Spurs won the coin flip in 1997 over the Boston Celtics to draft Tim Duncan. The Celtics are the most storied franchise in NBA history and were in the middle of what would be the longest rough patch in their history.
Instead of giving them a lifeline, the NBA "decided" to give Duncan to the Spurs, who already had a superstar in David Robinson. That is obviously ludicrous, especially since Duncan would lead the Spurs to five championships.
No, the NBA Daft isn't rigged
The draft lottery is designed to give the worst teams the best young players; occasionally, there's going to be some luck involved. The Chicago Bulls landing the number one pick to draft Chicago native Derrick Rose when they had slim odds is one of them. No one talks about the Knicks having poor draft luck even though they were mostly awful during the 2000s and 2010s.
Or, the Minnesota Timberwolves had plenty of top five picks during that same span. If the NBA pulled the strings, they probably would have given the Charlotte Hornets at least one first overall pick after missing out on Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Davis, and Victor Wembanyama by just one pick.
All that is to say, no, the NBA draft lottery isn't rigged, but LeBron's comments are sure to stir up conspiracy theories for years to come.