“You Wanna Play Where It’s Hot Or Where It’s Cold?”: Shaquille O’Neal Once Detailed How David Stern Had Him Drafted To The Orlando Magic

Shaquille O’Neal was recently a guest on the KnuckleHeads podcast. While on the show, the 7’1 legend revealed some jaw-dropping information about the NBA draft, and in particular about ex-Commisioner David Stern.

Shaq was drafted in 1992, by the first pick to the Orlando Magic. The Big Aristotle would single-handedly change the entire face of the Magic, as the franchise would soon become a force to reckon with in the NBA. But many believe that Stern had a role to play in Orlando getting the much sought-after pick. But during a recent episode of The KnuckleHeads podcast, Shaq would briefly even talk about the same, telling his hosts,

“He[ David Stern] said do you want to play where it’s hot or cold? I said ‘hot’ and Orlando got the ball. I don’t think nothing of it, and then at the draft, he’s coming up with the envelope and he’s looking at the envelope and ( winks towards Shaq).”

Stern and Shaq would share a rather close bond even after his draft, as O’Neal would regularly be called up to Stern’s office. O’Neal would famously even storm into Stern’s office, complaining about the ‘Hack-A-Shaq’ scheme. But Stern would be quick to remind O’Neal about the favouritism that the league has previously shown towards him, making the Big Fella understand how things ran in the league.

This isn’t Stern’s first rodeo

David Stern and The NBA have been shrouded in mystery regarding the early drafts that took place during the 1984-85 season. Stern and The NBA were first called out for their actions after the 1985 draft. Before 1985, the sequence for the NBA draft was decided by a coin toss, as the worst teams from both conferences would participate in the event.

After the Rockets tanked back-to-back years to get the first pick in ’84 and ’83, Commissioner Stern would implement the envelope system. But this wouldn’t help to reduce speculation surrounding the draft.

After the Knicks won the 1985 draft( selected Patrick Ewing), many speculated that Stern had added the Knicks. The theory that Stern had “frozen” the Knick’s envelope gained traction.

Shaq’s statement about Stern manipulating the draft seems to have some validity to it, as Stern has been accused of doing something similar before in ’85. With teams like Golden State building their dynasty on draft picks, it’s understandable why teams would tank multiple seasons just to get a franchise-altering player