The Herd with Colin Cowherd Best of The Herd
Oct 24, 2025
Rachel Nichols, a veteran NBA reporter, joins to unpack the fallout from the FBI's investigation into illegal sports betting. She explains the nuances of active versus passive involvement in these illegal activities, revealing how multiple investigations complicate the league's image. The conversation dives into the ramifications of a coach's alleged ties to gambling, the NBA's dependence on betting revenue, and whether legalized betting can help curb corruption. Nichols highlights the challenges players face regarding insider information, raising critical questions about integrity in the league.
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Scandals Don't Doom The NBA
- Sports gambling scandals are recurring and the NBA has survived past high-profile episodes like Michael Jordan's gambling talk in 1993.
- Colin argues today's legal betting and bigger money make scandals visible but not existential for the league.
1877 Baseball Betting Scandal
- Colin recounts baseball's first betting scandal a year after the National League formed in 1876 to show betting problems are old.
- He uses historical examples to normalize that gambling-linked corruption has long existed in sports.
Legal Betting Brings Transparency
- Colin supports legalized, regulated gambling because it transfers activity from unregulated markets to transparent ones.
- He notes regulated sportsbooks, the NBA, and the FBI all prefer oversight to hidden markets.