Overview

• Shaquille O’Neal claimed David Stern asked him in 1992 if he preferred to play in a warm or cold city before the Orlando Magic won the No. 1 pick.
• The Mavericks secured the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft with just a 1.8% chance, months after trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers.
• Fans and analysts speculate the league may prioritize commercial interests, with Dwyane Wade emphasizing that the NBA operates as a business.
• Historical allegations, including the 1985 ‘frozen envelope’ theory and the Magic’s back-to-back No. 1 picks in the early 1990s, fuel ongoing skepticism.
• Verification of Shaq’s story is impossible as David Stern passed away in 2020, leaving the claims unproven but widely discussed.