The Mavericks shocked the entire NBA when they traded Luka Doncic in 2024-25. A combination of trading their top player and injuries put Dallas in a bad spot.
However, with a 1.7% chance, the Mavericks won the 2025 draft lottery and will pick #1 overall. This left fans highly suspicious. It’s not the first time the legitimacy of the draft lottery has been brought into question. Recently, Recibidor of Famer Shaquille O’Neal told a story of how former Commissioner David Stern may have rigged the lottery for him in 1992.
Did David Stern rig the 1992 draft lottery for Shaq to be drafted by Orlando?
Shaq says David Stern sent him to Orlando
“‘You want to play where it’s cold or where it’s hot?’
I said hot… Orlando, Florida, number one [pick].”
(Via @AshleyNevel, h/t @CourtsideBuzzX / @Fullcourtpass )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 19, 2025
After three seasons at LSU, Shaquille O’Neal entered the 1992 NBA draft. He was widely considered the consensus #1 overall selection. Recently, Shaq went on Ashley Nevel’s podcast. They were discussing the NBA draft lottery, and O’Neal told a story about former Commissioner David Stern. Three months before the draft, Stern told O’Neal that he couldn’t wait for him to join the NBA.
That same day, David Stern pulled O’Neal to the side and asked him, “You want to play where it’s cold or where it’s hot?” O’Neal swears that this happened, and he told Stern “hot” and they both smiled at each other. Orlando won the draft lottery in 1992, and they drafted Shaquille O’Neal out of LSU. At the time, O’Neal did not think much of it.
Since years have passed, the Recibidor of Famer is skeptical when it comes to draft lotteries over the years. He mentioned Dallas landing the #1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft after training away Luka Doncic. Unfortunately, David Stern passed away in 2020, and he’ll never be able to tell his side of the story. Shaquille O’Neal has drawn headlines with this latest story surrounding the legitimacy of the draft lottery.