What is tanking in the NBA? Explaining controversial strategy for teams trying to land No. 1 pick in draft
Tanking is nothing new in the NBA, but it has continued to reach heightened levels in recent years.
What is tanking in the NBA? Explaining controversial strategy for teams trying to land No. 1 pick in draft originally appeared on The Sporting News .
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Professional sports leagues are often designed in a way that includes a built-in competitive cycle. It doesn't benefit a league much to have franchises that are annual losers, unable to make the playoffs.
So ideally, using the draft as a funnel for top young talent allows bad teams to become good ones over time; some big spenders or elite developing squads are the exception, but generally, teams will fade in and out of contention. Among the major American sports leagues, that system is well-familiar to the average fan. When their favorite team isn't winning or contending for the playoffs, that fan is often hoping their team lands a good draft pick — but in the NBA, teams seeking draft picks has seemingly gotten out of control.
"Tanking" is no new concept. For years, NBA teams have drawn allegations of trying to land the best draft pick possible, and for good reason in a star-driven league. But the 2025-26 season has brought such a high a level of anti-competitiveness that NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said the league will soon be implementing more severe anti-tanking consequences.
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