4 NBA scandals you don't know about!

NBA - where amazing happens. NBA is the biggest league in the world today. It is home to the best basketball players in the world and the biggest franchises in sports history. NBA players are the world's best-paid athletes by average annual salary per player and for the first time ever, all the NBA franchises are at least worth $1 Billion. It's a platform for teenagers to become legends and for legends to become immortals in the minds of generations to come. It's a dream league. NBA is entertaining and competitive and glamorous and ... scandalous.

In its history of more than 70 years, the NBA has seen its ups and downs. There have been many controversies surrounding the League right from accusations of it "being too white" and "being to black" and "rigging the drafts" and "fixing the Finals". NBA is not as flawless as you think it is and behind all the Glitz N' Glamour and Grit N' Grind, there is a dark side to the NBA.

Here are some of the scandals you may not know about-

#4 Derrick Rose allegedly cheated his way into the NBA

We all know Derrick Rose as a former MVP who's career went all south after a series of injuries. He was the #1 Draft Pick in 2008 and became one of the most explosive point guards the world had ever seen. But there's a controversy about how he got into the NBA in the first place. The accusations are -

Derrick Rose never gave the SAT's. SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Instead, he made a friend gave the exam under his name. The candidate cleared the exam and Derrick Rose and the score resulted in Rose getting admitted to the University Of Memphis. Rose led the Memphis Tigers to the NCAA Title game-winning 38 games in the process. Memphis lost to Kansas in the Final game.

However, when the controversy broke that Derrick Rose had cheated, the Memphis Tigers had to forfeit all 38 of their victories from that 2007-2008 season. Derrick Rose is accused of cheating, lying and acting against the spirit of college basketball. Rose went on to win Rookie of the Year award and also he won the MVP in 2011. He has his own signature shoe with Adidas and is currently playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Derrick Rose denied all allegations about the incident. The University of Memphis too denied the allegations because of lack of sufficient evidence. Despite denying the allegations, the controversy remains.

If he actually cheated his way into the NBA, deep down, he must make peace with himself for cheating all college basketball and NBA fans.

#3 Former Clippers Owner Donald Sterling was a racist and is prohibited from attending NBA games

Donald Sterling is a wealthy Southern California divorce attorney turned real estate developer who until 2014 was also the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.

The story -

TMZ released an audio on 25th April 2014 and it took the NBA by storm. The audiotape revealed a conversation between Donald Sterling and his girlfriend. Speaking to his mixed-race girlfriend, Sterling said, "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people." And also -

"I'm just saying, in your lousy f******* Instagrams, you don't have to have yourself with, walking with black people." And also, "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games."

You can hear it for yourself on TMZ's YouTube Channel.

When the news broke, the Los Angeles Clippers lost its major sponsors which included including State Farm, Kia, CarMax and Virgin America. The players protested by wearing the warm-up shirts inside out to hide the Clippers logo.

On 29th April, just four days after the release of the audio tape Sterling was banned for life from any association with the league or the Clippers and was fined $2.5 million - the maximum allowable under the NBA constitution. Adam Silver also said that the fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts

#2 Tim Hardaway and his Non-Inclusion from the Basketball Hall Of Fame

Back is his prime, Tim Hardaway was a Five-time All-Star and an ultra-athletic point guard. He averaged 17.7 points, 8.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game which are outstanding numbers. Miami Heat even retired his #10 jersey as acknowledge the impact he had on the franchise. He really should be in the Hall Of Fame but his non-inclusion may have a reason beyond basketball.

In 2007, Hardaway was a guest of Miami Herald columnist Dan Le Batard on Miami sports radio station WAXY-AM and was asked how he would deal with a gay teammate. When asked if he would accept an active player's coming out, such as that of retired NBA center John Amaechi, Hardaway replied: "First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team."

He also said -

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

NBA immediately took action and Commissioner David Stern banished Hardaway from All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.

This could be a major reason why Tim Hardaway has not been nominated into the Hall Of Fame. But this story does end on a positive note because Hardaway is now a Gay Rights Activist.

#1 Joe Smith's illegal contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Joe Smith was drafted #1 by the Warriors in the 1995 NBA draft. In 1999, Smith signed a 1 year, $1.75 Million deal with the Timberwolves. This was really bizarre as according to most coaches and executives in the NBA, Smith was worth way more than that. He was only 23 and had a great few seasons with the Warriors. Golden State offered him an $80 Million contract but Smith rejected it. Why would anyone reject an $80 Million contract for a mere $1.75 Million?

The NBA investigated this whole situation and found out that Smith and the Timberwolves had an under the table agreement - Smith would sign three separate 1-year deals for very little money which would allow the Timberwolves to acquire his Bird Rights. This would enable them to go over the cap and resign him afterward and offer a mega offer of $86 Million.

This contract was highly illegal and the NBA took strict action. Commissioner David Stern fined the Wolves $3.5 Million and suspended the manager of the Timberwolves at that time - Kevin McHale for 1 year. The NBA also made the Timberwolves forfeit their First Round Draft Picks between 2001 and 2004.

Those Draft Picks could've been used to signs players like Tony Parker, Zach Randolph, Gilbert Arenas or Gerald Wallace. One of these guys could've played alongside Kevin Garnett in his prime and the Wolves would be known as a completely different organization today.

Today, Joe Smith has lost all the $60 Million he earned throughout his NBA career and is nearly broke. Check out the promo for the CNBC special called “Back in the Game” as Alex Rodriguez - a former MLB star and a successful businessman - is trying to get Smith's life back on track.

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