The NBA Draft Lottery: Rigged For Everyone!

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I feel like this is Kindergarten all over again. Everyone always had the teacher who had a really corny smile and went around telling everyone "YOU ARE ALWAYS SPECIAL AND UNIQUE IN YOUR OWN WAY!". But then, she chooses the kid sitting next to you to be line leader for that day, which you of course you spend the rest of your day crying in the corner about. Just me? Okay, moving on. 


If that scenario made no sense to you, I'll try and make sense of it for you.


Come draft lottery day, everyone loves to throw out their conspiracy theory, all of which are unique and special in their own way. 


If Brooklyn wins, it's because it will help keep Deron Williams with the team. If the Kings win, it will be to keep the Maloof brothers in Sacramento. If the Cavaliers won, it would be because they're looking out for Dan Gilbert for losing LeBron James. If the Wizards won, it would be to pair up two Kentucky alums for a sweet alley-oop tag team. And if the Bobcats won, it would be to reward Michael Jordan for sticking around as the Owner of the worst team in American sports. 


But the winner (and holder of the best conspiracy) would be the New Orleans Hornets, it is because they're a struggling team that has been poorly managed by David Stern and the NBA. 


It does not matter who wins the Lottery, because people have their own assumptions as to how they got there. Fans are ready to point fingers at whoever comes out on top, and curse David Stern's name for all of eternity. 


If it was another league of the "Big 4", practically all conspiracies would be completely dismissed. However, David Stern has allowed talk of this to go on, and with good reason. Tim Donaghy brought the league to its knees in 2005 when he admitted to point shaving, as well as some very questionable playoff series/games. 


What makes the thoughts of conspiracy run so rampant is because of large media outlets like Yahoo! Sports or Chris Broussard of ESPN allow these rumors to spread.


If you ask me, the idea of a draft lottery is complete genius. Not since Orlando in 2004 has a team with the worst record in the NBA won the lottery. That stat alone speaks volumes. 


It should eliminate the "tank for the top pick" concept, because it has been proven to not work in that teams favor. Quite frankly, Charlotte got screwed deservedly. They easily put the worst team in the NBA out on the floor night in and night out, and hoped they'd land the top pick. Teams that do not even try, do not deserve to be rewarded with the best player the NCAA has to offer. By no means am I attempting to say the Bocats are a good team, but no professional basketball team should lose 23 straight games. 


Most had assumed that the Bobcats were a lock for the top spot, only to start waving the conspiracy flag when New Orleans won.


It does not matter who wins the Number 1 pick, because everyone is a loser. People will continue to despise the use of a draft lottery.


The lottery will talk for itself.