Topic / Subject
Pablo Torre says two NBA owners told him the 2025 draft lottery felt “obviously fixed” for the Mavericks to land Cooper Flagg — an unverified claim that has no public evidence attached.

TL;DR
This isn’t a leaked document — it’s a “private conversations” rumor that keeps the conspiracy alive. Without proof, it’s still just belief statements, not a confirmed scandal.

Key Details

• Who’s involved: Pablo Torre (claim), two unnamed NBA owners (alleged sources), Dallas Mavericks, Cooper Flagg
• What’s being floated: Torre says two owners privately believed the lottery was “obviously fixed,” per Awful Announcing’s coverage of the podcast remarks
• Where it started: Torre’s comments on the Chapo Trap House podcast (clip promo also circulated on X)
• Why it’s trending now: Lottery conspiracies always explode when a big outcome hits, and “owners said it” adds gasoline
• What’s missing: Any public evidence of manipulation or identification of the owners

Breakdown
The lottery conspiracy machine runs on one thing: vibes plus outcomes. When a headline result lands, fans look for a “why,” and the darkest “why” is always “rigged.”

What makes this version travel is the alleged sourcing: Awful Announcing reports Torre said two NBA owners told him, the day after the lottery, they believed it was “obviously fixed.” Yahoo Sports adds broader framing that multiple owners believe Dallas landing Cooper Flagg is connected to a sequence of events that fueled suspicion.

But this is still a key distinction story. “Someone believes it” is not the same as “it happened.” Torre’s account is based on private conversations, the owners aren’t identified, and no public evidence is presented in the coverage listed here.

So the rumor lives in the gray zone: credible that some people in the league complained privately, not credible (yet) that the lottery was actually manipulated.

What We Know

• Per Awful Announcing, Torre said on a podcast that two NBA owners told him they believed the lottery was “obviously fixed.”
• Per Yahoo Sports, Torre’s broader framing is that multiple owners believe Dallas landing Cooper Flagg fueled suspicion among fans and league observers.
• A Chapo Trap House account circulated a clip/promo referencing the “obviously fixed” quote.

What We Don’t Know

• Who the owners are and what they based their suspicion on.
• Any specific allegation of mechanism (how it would have been manipulated) — none presented publicly here.
• Any league response beyond standard procedures (not addressed in the provided sources).

Can This Actually Happen?

• Reality check: In the real world, extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Right now, this is “owners vented privately,” not “a scheme was proven.”
• What would need to be true: There would have to be verifiable evidence—documents, whistleblower testimony, audit irregularities, or something concrete that survives scrutiny.

Would It Even Make Sense?

• Motive theory (why people think it): Big outcomes trigger “league storyline” suspicion.
• Problem: Suspicion isn’t evidence, and outcomes alone don’t prove intent.

Verdict Box
Likelihood: Low
Why: The claim is secondhand and anonymous, and no public evidence has been presented — it’s a conspiracy echo, not a confirmed report.

What to Watch Next

• Whether Torre provides more detail (without burning sources) that can be independently checked
• Any other reputable reporters corroborating the same “owners said it” conversations
• Any on-record comment from league figures (even a denial can reset the cycle)
• Anything document-based that moves this beyond “belief statements”

Sources

• Yahoo Sports — NBA rumors: Pablo Torre claims multiple owners believe…
• Awful Announcing — Pablo Torre: Some owners suspect NBA rigged 2025 lottery for Mavericks
• Chapo Trap House (X) — clip promo post referencing Torre quote

Comment
Do you think “two owners said it” makes this more believable — or does it still mean nothing without receipts?