The Most Controversial Moments in NBA History

**SPEAKER_1** (0:00)
From games shrouded in controversy to allegations of outright corruption, these are the most rigged moments in NBA history. And first, what happens when the season of your dreams collides with a nightmare on the court? Let's set the stage. Sacramento, California, 2002 A city that wasn't just a dot on the map, but the heartbeat of a franchise that adored its kings. This wasn't Los Angeles or New York. Sacramento was small market basketball at its finest. And that year, the kings had built something extraordinary, led by stars like Chris Webber, Cajet Stoyakovich, and Mike Bibby. And kings played a dazzling style of basketball. High energy, unselfish, and above all, fearless. They were the perfect foil to the Los Angeles Lakers. The reigning champions powered by the duo Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. To the kings, the Lakers weren't just rivals. They were the Goliath to the David. By the time game six of the Western Conference finals rolled around, the kings were on the cusp of history. Of three-two in the series, Sacramento was just one win away from their first ever NBA finals appearance. The stakes couldn't have been higher. The game, played in the Hostel Staples Center, wasn't just about advancing. It was about proving that the underdog could take down the league's golden franchise. For three quarters, the game was as intense and physical as anyone could have expected. The kings held their ground, trading blows with the Lakers in a battle that was shaping up to be a classic. But when the fourth quarter began, something shifted. Suddenly, the whistles started blowing, and almost all of them were in favor of the Lakers. In those final 12 minutes, Los Angeles was awarded an eye-popping 27 free throws. To put that in perspective, the kings and equally aggressive team shot just nine free throws the entire game. The calls were baffling. Shaquille O'Neal, who had spent much of the series in foul trouble, now seemed untouchable. Every time he went to the basket, the whistle blew. Kings defenders were called for questionable fouls, and some barely making contact. Meanwhile, Lakers players appeared to get away with similar or worse physically.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:58)
try to buy some time... .and a foul...
.a lifetime right now. Webber has a great block on this ball.

**SPEAKER_1** (2:24)
The most egregious moment came in the final minutes, when Mike Bibby was struck in the face by Kobe Bryant's elbow. Instead of an offensive foul on Bryant, the referees called Bibby for a hold, sending the Lakers to the line yet again. An elbow right in the jobs.

**SPEAKER_2** (2:41)
Could have been an offensive foul.

**SPEAKER_1** (2:43)
The Kings, who had fought so valiantly, now seemed like they were battling more than just the Lakers. They were battling the officials too. The Lakers would go on to win game 6 106-102, forcing it game 7 in Sacramento. The momentum had shifted irreparably. The Kings fought hard in a decisive game, but fell short in overtime, and the Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals, eventually winning their third consecutive championship. Years later, the controversy surrounding game 6 grew even darker. Former referee Tim Donahue eventually became embroiled in his own scandal, and went on to allege that league officials had deliberately influenced the game to ensure a game 7 for higher ratings. According to Donahue, it wasn't just incompetence, it was manipulation. And to this day, game 6 remains one of the most controversial games in NBA history. But sometimes, the drama starts before the game even begins. See, in 1985, the NBA introduced the draft lottery, a new system designed to curb teams from deliberately tanking for the top pick. It was meant to ensure fairness and keep the league competitive. But when the first ever lottery rolled around, it immediately became the source of one of the NBA's greatest conspiracy theories. The stakes couldn't have been higher. That year, there was one man who stood out as the crown jewel. Georgetown's Patrick Ewing, a generational talent and one of the most highly covered prospects in basketball history. With its dominant size, defensive prowess, and offensive versatility, Ewing was expected to single-handedly transform whichever team landed him. The lottery was broadcast live on national television. Commissioner David Stern stood front and center, tasked with pulling envelopes from a large drum to determine the draft order. But when Stern pulled one of the league's most prominent yet struggling franchises, the New York Knicks as the winners of the first pick, the reaction was immediate. Fans, analysts, and rival teams couldn't believe it. The Kings had been floundering for years, and Madison Square Garden, one of the NBA's most iconic venues, needed a hero to reignite its glory days. The league itself desperately wanted a stronger foothold in the largest media market, and a result like this seemed almost too good to be true. But how do fans think the league pulled this off? Well, conspiracy theorists quickly lashed in to one explanation, the bent envelope. According to this theory, the next envelope was deliberately marked to ensure it would be easily identified. Slow motion replays of the live broadcast show Jack Wagner, a representative from Ernst & Whitney, tossed the envelope into the drum. Eagle-eyed viewers claimed one envelope struck the edge of the drum, and when Stern reached in to draw the winner, some believe he deliberately fell for that specific envelope in order to guarantee the Knicks landed the pick. Adding fuel to the fire, skeptics also pointed to how the envelope was handled. They alleged it had been chilled beforehand so Stern could identify it by touch. Others suggested that Stern, knowing the Knicks' importance to the league's financial success, was part of a grand scheme to orchestrate the result. At the time, the NBA was in the midst of a resurgence, led by stars like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, but the league's popularity in its largest market, New York City, was fading fast. A revitalized Knicks franchise led by a star like Patrick Ewing could drive ticket sales, TV ratings and merchandise revenue through the roof. The conspiracy gained even more traction as Ewing immediately became the face of the Knicks and helped transform them into a perennial contenders. While the Knicks didn't win a championship during his tenure, Ewing's presence reestablished New York as a marquee NBA franchise throughout the 1990s. In interviews years later, Stern denied any wrongdoing, calling the theory ridiculous and maintaining that the lottery was conducted fairly. The NBA also appointed to Ernst & Whitney, an independent accounting firm which oversees the process and verified its integrity. Still, fans weren't convinced. The idea of the league rigging the lottery was too compelling and perhaps too convenient, but no one could deny the next scandal though, because what happens when the people trusted uphold the rules are the ones breaking them. In 2007, the NBA faced one of its darkest moments, a scandal that sent shockwaves through the league. Referee Tim Donahue, a 13-year veteran official, was exposed for betting on games he personally officiated. Between 2005 and 2007, Donahue placed wagers on more than 100 NBA games, profiting off his inside knowledge and strategic influence over critical calls. Donahue admitted to working with high-stakes gamblers, feeding them confidential information about player injuries, referee assignments, and tendencies that could tilt the odds in their favor. With his most damning confession, he deliberately made calls or avoided them to influence point spreads. One glaring example occurred during the 2007 game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Boston Celtics. Donahue admitted to extending foul calls against Memphis players to ensure the Celtics will cover the spread, a move that directly benefited his bets. What made matters worse was Donahue's claim that he wasn't alone. He alleged that other referees were pressured by league executives to favor certain teams, especially in high-profile matchups or playoff series. One accusation even suggested the infamous 2002 Western Conference Finals, known for its questionable officiating, was manipulated to ensure the Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals. For fans, Donahey's revelations posed a chilling question. If a single referee could alter the course of games for years without detection, how many others might have done the same? And how deep could the corruption have run? Even now, the league continues to battle the shadow of Donahey's betrayal, working to rebuild the trust of millions. But for many, the scandal remains a painful reminder of the fragility of sports integrity. Fast forward to 2006, when the Miami Heat, led by a rising star named Dwayne Wade, faced the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Dallas came out swinging, taking the 2-0 series lead. But as the series shifted to Miami, something strange began to happen. Dwayne Wade went to the free throw line on an astonishing 97 times over six games. 97? That's nearly 16 trips per game. And game five was the breaking point. With the game on the line, Wade attempted 21 free throws, many of them from soft or outright suspicious foul calls.