LeBron James did an interview that was aired on “The Pat McAfee Show,” and he discussed a wide variety of topics. While many are focused on what he said about his feud with ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, he also made many other interesting comments.
Of course, James has been a national celebrity since his high school days in his native Akron, Ohio. He decided to skip college and head straight to the NBA, back when players were allowed to do so, and he was the most hyped draft prospect to ever enter the league.
It just so happened that he got to remain in Northeast Ohio since the Cleveland Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft lottery.
While on “The Pat McAfee Show,” James implied that perhaps that draft lottery was rigged to allow him to play for the NBA team located in his home area.
“During the ball drop, the lottery drop, Cleveland got the No. 1 pick?” James said. “I just don’t think that — what a coincidence. Let’s keep LeBron home. Patrick Ewing to the [New York] Knicks, Derrick Rose to the [Chicago] Bulls, I understand the assignment.”
There are numerous conspiracy theories about the draft lottery, starting with the very first one in 1985. At the time, the Knicks were a franchise that had been struggling for about a decade, and Ewing was expected to be the NBA’s next transcendent center. According to the “frozen envelope” theory, that first draft lottery was rigged to send Ewing to the nation’s biggest market in order to revitalize the Knicks and, by extension, the entire league.
Obviously, as is the case with many conspiracy theories, there is no empirical evidence that has ever been revealed. Therefore, no one will likely ever know whether James was intentionally driven to Cleveland or if it was simply a cosmic coincidence or even something that the basketball gods preordained.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: LeBron James makes shocking statement about 2003 NBA draft lottery
LeBron James did an interview that was aired on “The Pat McAfee Show,” and he discussed a wide variety of topics. While many are focused on what he said about his feud with ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, he also made many other interesting comments.
Of course, James has been a national celebrity since his high school days in his native Akron, Ohio. He decided to skip college and head straight to the NBA, back when players were allowed to do so, and he was the most hyped draft prospect to ever enter the league.
It just so happened that he got to remain in Northeast Ohio since the Cleveland Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft lottery.
While on “The Pat McAfee Show,” James implied that perhaps that draft lottery was rigged to allow him to play for the NBA team located in his home area.
“During the ball drop, the lottery drop, Cleveland got the No. 1 pick?” James said. “I just don’t think that — what a coincidence. Let’s keep LeBron home. Patrick Ewing to the [New York] Knicks, Derrick Rose to the [Chicago] Bulls, I understand the assignment.”
There are numerous conspiracy theories about the draft lottery, starting with the very first one in 1985. At the time, the Knicks were a franchise that had been struggling for about a decade, and Ewing was expected to be the NBA’s next transcendent center. According to the “frozen envelope” theory, that first draft lottery was rigged to send Ewing to the nation’s biggest market in order to revitalize the Knicks and, by extension, the entire league.
Obviously, as is the case with many conspiracy theories, there is no empirical evidence that has ever been revealed. Therefore, no one will likely ever know whether James was intentionally driven to Cleveland or if it was simply a cosmic coincidence or even something that the basketball gods preordained.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: LeBron James makes shocking statement about 2003 NBA draft lottery
