[The Athletic] “Gambling was, by far, the reason most often cited by players who said the NBA’s integrity was in danger, or suggested that it could be if changes weren’t made.”
Eta: non-paywalled link
Is the integrity of the game in danger?
[ETA]: 142 votes total-
74.6% said no
25.4% said yes
An informal analysis of the answers to this question came down to the players collectively saying, “No, but…”
“I don’t think we have an integrity issue,” one player said. “It’s almost like it’s the beginning of possible issues that could happen because of gambling. It’s getting more negative attention that could affect the purity of the game.
“The purists, we just want to play.”
To be clear, the NBA didn’t legalize gambling — the U.S. Supreme Court did, essentially, by ruling that it was up to each state to allow (or not) sports betting within its borders. Thirty-nine states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, have taken the high court up on its offer.
But in the aftermath of that 2018 Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for widespread legal betting, the NBA (and other major pro sports) eagerly pursued partnerships with sportsbooks so the league could make money off bets placed on its games. The coziness between the league and the sports books, and the proliferation of betting among fans, is what the players feel — and they see it as a problem.
“They have to do something with gambling,” one player said. “If they don’t, the league is in trouble.”
“The gambling with social media is a dangerous combination — it has too much of an impact on the game,” said another.
A third player said, “We go out, and I can hear a fan say, ‘Please get 11 points,’ you know what I’m saying? I just feel like that’s (messed) the game up a little bit.”
Gambling was, by far, the reason most often cited by players who said the NBA’s integrity was in danger, or suggested that it could be if changes weren’t made.
All season long, players in all 30 locker rooms have loathed offering takes in either direction on one of their colleagues (Leonard) and his off-court earning opportunities. Leonard, like the Clippers, has insisted there is no wrongdoing.
“I don’t think the (NBA’s) integrity is in danger; I think it’s just a lot of new stuff people are taking advantage of,” said one player, offering a broader answer than simply “betting” as the thing that could trip up the league. “It’s just like college with NIL starting. You don’t have specific rules until someone tries to alter or break them, and then you find more reasons to implement different rules.”
Another player said any serious issues facing the NBA are overshadowed by the talent coursing through the league.
“I really feel like with the Wembys and Lukas and even still LeBron, they drove so much attention that even now some people like myself forgot that most of that stuff even happened,” the player said. “But it still happened. I didn’t ignore it, but I don’t think the integrity of the game is at stake.”