Adam Silver Officially Announces Major Change After FBI Agent’s Warning

The changes specifically target proposition bets on individual player performance, which the league identified as presenting “heightened integrity concerns.” The memo emphasized that while unusual betting on Terry Rozier’s performance in a March 2023 game was detected because bets were placed legally, more protection is needed. The new approach will involve enhanced scrutiny of these wager types.

The league is launching a comprehensive review of all injury reporting protocols and personnel training. “With sports betting now occupying such a significant part of the current sports landscape, every effort must be made to ensure that players, coaches, and other NBA personnel are fully aware of the dire risks that gambling can impose upon their careers and livelihoods,” the memo explained. The updated training will emphasize the serious consequences of violating gambling policies.

Moreover, a former NBA referee at the center of the league’s last major gambling controversy has revealed that federal investigators believe the current scandal cannot be contained like previous incidents, suggesting much broader implications for the league’s integrity.

More trouble for the NBA

A former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who was convicted for gambling on games, has revealed that an FBI agent informed him the current scandal involving Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier cannot be contained like previous incidents. Donaghy shared, “I just received a text message from one of the FBI agents that worked my case, and he basically said that they’re not going to be able to cover this up like they covered up mine.” This suggests federal investigators believe the issue has broader implications for the league’s integrity.

Donaghy detailed how his own case was allegedly handled, claiming former commissioner David Stern minimized the scandal by portraying him as a lone offender. He stated,  “I think David Stern was able to put a lid on it and paint me as one bad apple,” and added that the FBI wanted to indict six or seven others but was shut down at high levels. Donaghy also pointed to a revolving door between government and the NBA, noting that Greg Andres, once head of the Eastern District of New York, later took a role providing legal counsel to the league.

The former referee warned that the current arrests might only be the beginning, expressing concern about vulnerabilities in college athletics. “I think this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Donaghy said, predicting that financial pressures could lead to game-fixing among college players who aren’t earning significant money despite NIL deals. These revelations come as the NBA has placed Billups and Rozier on indefinite leave amid the federal probe.

If Donaghy’s claims hold weight, Commissioner Adam Silver may be facing more systemic issues than initially apparent. The historical allegations about covered-up investigations resurface as the league grapples with its most significant gambling scandal since Donaghy’s time, challenging the NBA’s efforts to maintain public trust.