NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faces heckling over Mavericks rigging allegations on draft night

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was subjected to more than just the typical boos fans expect to hear during draft night. 

Loud jeers from fans filled the Barclays Center in New York as Silver was welcomed to the stage, but one irate fan managed to very clearly let the commissioner know just how they felt about the Draft Lottery last month, when the Dallas Mavericks were stunningly awarded the first overall pick. 

“Dallas was rigged,” the fan shouted. The remark was clearly captured on the ESPN broadcast of the draft. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.

Silver, either unaware or interested in the heckle, carried on without a response. 

The remark highlights the shock of last month’s Draft Lottery when the Mavericks were awarded the first overall pick, which they unsurprisingly used to select Duke star Cooper Flagg on Wednesday night. Dallas had just a 1.8% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick – the 11th-best odds to win the lottery. 

MAVERICKS SELECT COOPER FLAGG WITH TOP PICK IN 2025 NBA DRAFT AFTER CONTROVERSIAL LOTTERY

News of the Mavs’ victory quickly triggered rigging allegations among fans as it followed the shock of the team trading away franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers just months earlier. 

“You’re talking about goosebumps that were coming off my skin and also what our organization can do with this whole thing, too,” Mavericks great and inclusion ambassador Rolando Blackman said of the lottery at the time, via the team website. “What it means is the Mavericks can live again.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Blackman’s hopes materialized on Wednesday night when Silver announced Flagg’s name. 

He enters the pros having averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds last season while leading Duke to the Final Four. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.