Radio host Jim Rome and NBA commissioner David Stern went head-to-head Wednesday after the analyst questioned the league's draft lottery.
An on-air spat between controversial radio personality Jim Rome and NBA commissioner David Stern erupted Wednesday when the integrity of the NBA’s draft lottery was questioned.
“New Orleans won the draft lottery, which of course produced the usual round of speculation that maybe the lottery was fixed,” Rome said during his 12-minute conversation with Stern. “Was the fix in for the lottery?”
Dead air followed before Stern kicked off the heated exchange that eventually ended with insults and accusations.
“I have two answers for that,” Stern said. “I’ll give you the easy one — no. And a statement: shame on you for asking.”
RoMe then attempted to regain control of the interview by insisting the allegation was something fans want to know about. The pair attempted to talk over each other before the NBA commish piped in with a question that stymied Rome.
“Have you stopped beating your wife yet?”
“I don’t know if that’s fair,” Rome replied. “People really do think it. The league does own the team. Does that not make the question fair?”
Stern responded by saying a “respectable journalist” wouldn’t make such a charge.
“It’s good copy and you do things sometimes for cheap thrills,” Stern said of Rome, who is known for his on-air outbursts and his ability to unnerve guests. “You’ve been successful in making a career out of it.”
Rome proceeded to take offence to Stern’s comments before pleading that the question was legitimate and, in fact, something his listeners want to have discussed.
“Jim Rome is pouting? I love it,” Stern said. “I’ve got to go call somebody important like Stephen A. Smith now.”
Smith is a commentator for ESPN, where Rome previously had his own show.
The segment ended with both issuing a sarcastic farewell and Rome insisting he didn’t hang up on the commissioner.
