Why a televised NBA draft lottery won't 'quiet down' conspiracy theories - Yahoo Sports
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No amount of transparency will kill NBA draft lottery conspiracy theories — and there's a deep psychological reason why showing your work only fuels true believers.
Conspiracy Theory PsychologyMotivated ReasoningProportionality BiasTransparency Paradox
Theory Briefing
- The NBA is considering televising its draft lottery process, hoping more transparency will silence long-running fix accusations.
- Conspiracy theory research shows that exposing hidden processes often backfires, giving believers new details to reinterpret as suspicious.
- High-stakes outcomes like landing a generational talent make the lottery a perfect breeding ground for motivated reasoning and pattern-seeking.