Former NBA All-Star Claims Draft Lottery is Rigged

Jeff Teague alleges suspicious patterns in lottery outcomes over the years

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:28pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting an abstract NBA draft lottery scene, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors like blue, orange, and purple, conveying a sense of chaos and controversy around the lottery process.Allegations of rigged NBA draft lotteries have fueled suspicions around the league's fairness and integrity.New Orleans Today

Former NBA All-Star guard Jeff Teague has sparked controversy by claiming the NBA draft lottery is rigged. On his podcast, Teague provided examples of what he sees as suspicious lottery outcomes, such as the Dallas Mavericks landing the top pick shortly after trading away star player Luka Doncic. While the lottery process has long been scrutinized, there is no concrete evidence that it is fixed.

Why it matters

The NBA draft lottery is a highly anticipated and controversial event, with teams' futures often hinging on the random drawing of ping-pong balls. Teague's allegations, if true, would undermine the integrity of the league and call into question the fairness of the process that determines which teams get the best young talent.

The details

Teague cited several examples on his podcast where he believes the lottery outcomes were suspicious, including the Dallas Mavericks landing the top pick shortly after trading away star Luka Doncic, and the New Orleans Pelicans getting the #1 pick the year after Chris Paul left the team. Teague argued these outcomes seemed too convenient and designed to help struggling franchises or keep teams in certain markets.

  • Teague made the comments on a recent episode of his 'Club520' podcast.

The players

Jeff Teague

A former NBA All-Star guard who played 12 seasons in the league before retiring after the 2020-21 season. He is now a podcaster and commentator.

Luka Doncic

An All-NBA caliber player who was traded by the Dallas Mavericks, a move Teague believes was suspicious.

Anthony Davis

A superstar player who was injured, which Teague believes led to the New Orleans Pelicans getting the #1 pick.

Chris Paul

A Hall of Fame point guard who left the New Orleans Pelicans, which Teague believes led to the team getting the #1 pick the following year.

Cooper Flagg

The player the Dallas Mavericks selected with the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a pick Teague believes was suspicious.

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What they’re saying

“No disrespect to the league, I feel like it's no way you trade Luka, AD get hurt sh*t hit the fan. They like get the team out of Dallas then all of a sudden we going to give y'all Cooper everybody calm the fu*k down, come on man. New Orleans Chris Paul leave they want to move the team, they fu*ked up they get Anthony Davis. Come on man. Derrick Rose go to Chicago, come on.”

— Jeff Teague, Former NBA All-Star

The takeaway

Teague's allegations, while unproven, highlight the long-standing suspicions around the NBA draft lottery and the perception that the league sometimes intervenes to help struggling franchises or keep teams in certain markets. This debate is likely to continue as the lottery remains one of the most scrutinized events in professional sports.