NBA commissioner asks reporter: ‘Have you stopped beating your wife yet?’

When Rome asked Stern whether the NBA draft lottery was fixed (couching the question with the observation that many people are concerned about this potential), Stern’s first answer was the right one, a convincing “no.”

Then Stern made the mistake of continuing to talk. First, he objected to even being asked the question. Rome responded that he felt he asked the question respectfully and that his listeners want to know whether the NBA draft is fixed.

Instead of objecting to the question, Stern should have used his time supporting why the draft is conducted in the best or fairest possible way for the players, the league, and the fans.

But Stern kept on yakking. He asked Rome, “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?”

Rome replied that wasn’t a fair comparison question, because his original question was based on the premise that there are people who do think the draft is fixed.

Then, even after objecting to Rome’s question, Stern amazingly went on to say that just the previous day, he had a discussion about that very topic.

Rome followed up, arguing that because the team that got the first draft pick happens to be owned by the league, doesn’t that make it a legitimate question?