It’s the kind of thing that sends NBA conspiracy theorists into overdrive. Shaquille O’Neal, one of the league’s most dominant figures and a four-time champion, just added fuel to the long-simmering suspicions surrounding the NBA Draft Lottery. And he did it most casually, during a podcast interview.
Talking with Ashley Nevel, O’Neal recalled a conversation from 1992 that’s now drawing raised eyebrows. The former LSU star said then-commissioner David Stern pulled him aside before the draft and asked, “You want to play where it’s cold or where it’s hot?”
Shaq, always a fan of sunshine, answered the obvious: “Hot.”
Stern smiled. So did Shaq. Not long after, the Orlando Magic, based in the warmth of Florida, landed the top pick.
Old Rumors, New Spark
O’Neal insists he’s not claiming anything sinister. “I didn’t think much about it,” he told Nevel. “You hear a lot of these conspiracy theories. There are a lot of situations that can make these things sound good.” Still, his story and especially its timing couldn’t have come at a juicier moment.
This week, the Dallas Mavericks, with just a 1.8 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery and the rights to select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg. Their unlikely win followed a season-ending trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and others, a move that sparked plenty of backlash. So when Dallas landed the number one pick, even NBA stars had something to say.
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LeBron James reacted with a string of laughing emojis. Kevin Love chimed in with, “I mean come on man.”
Shaquille O’Neal’s revelation brought fresh attention to a system long accused of behind-the-scenes influence. The NBA’s draft lottery has always attracted skeptics, dating back to the infamous 1985 “frozen envelope” theory that supposedly delivered Patrick Ewing to the Knicks. Since then, fans have questioned draft results in years like 2011, 2012, and 2019, when struggling teams suddenly found generational talent.
Orlando’s back-to-back lottery wins in 1992 and 1993 remain another flashpoint. The Magic picked O’Neal first in ’92 and, a year later, landed the top spot again despite finishing .500. They traded that pick to Golden State, selecting Anfernee Hardaway instead of Chris Webber. This move helped define a franchise era.
O’Neal didn’t call the league rigged, but his story has kept the whispers alive. For NBA fans already suspicious of lottery surprises, it’s another chapter in a mystery that never seems to end.
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