NBA Awards voters are now officially banned from betting on any of the leagueโs award categories during any season in which they are voting.
It’s not clear if a recent incident caused this decision or if it’s just a precaution due to legalized sports betting, but it seems like a loophole that needed fixing. Betting with insider knowledge is already prohibited by sportsbooks.
NEW: NBA Award voters are now officially prohibited from making wagers on NBA Awards categories during any season in which they are voting, per @NBAPR.
โ Jared Greenberg (@JaredSGreenberg)
This practice is also illegal and can lead to federal charges. Recent scandals like Brad Bohannon’s Alabama baseball case and Jontay Porter’s situation with the Raptors highlight these risks.
The NBA hands out several awards each year such as Clutch Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Executive of the Year, Finals MVP, Most Improved Player, MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year.
Fans sometimes get involved too; their votes have counted as a tenth vote in at least one NBA Finals.
NBA Awards voters must be unbiased to protect the integrity of the game
In May, Nikola Jokic won his third MVP award with 79 first-place votes and 926 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed with 15 first-place votes and 640 points. Luka Doncic got four first-place votes and 566 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo finished fourth. Jalen Brunson was fifth. Last seasonโs MVP race clearly favored Jokic.
But remember back in 2004-05 when Steve Nash won MVP by just seven first-place votes over Shaquille OโNeal? Nash had 65 to Shaqโs 58. In tight races like this one, it makes sense why voters shouldn’t bet on outcomes.
And who could forget Stephen Curry in 2016? He was named unanimous MVP after getting all 131 first-place votes! This new rule for award voters makes sense for competitive seasons where there are close calls between top players.
All NBA Awards voters should be fair and honest to keep the game clean
