Colin Cowherd Podcast - The NBA’s “Pete Rose” Gambling Scandal, Eliminate Two-Way Player Props? Wemby Is UNGUARDABLE

Oct 24, 2025

Danny Parkins, a sports radio host from FS1, joins to dissect the explosive gambling scandal involving Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and others. They discuss the implications for Billups' Hall of Fame status if the allegations prove true. The conversation shifts to how legal betting has exposed match-fixing, and the unique vulnerabilities of basketball due to its individualistic nature. Finally, they rave about Victor Wembanyama's stunning performance and speculate on his potential as a future star in the league.

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INSIGHT

Allegations Could Topple A Hall-Of-Famer

The Chauncey Billups allegations represent an NBA-level scandal comparable to Pete Rose in baseball.
If proved true, Billups' coaching reputation and Hall of Fame status could be permanently damaged.

INSIGHT

Legal Betting Enables Faster Detection

Legal, regulated betting made it easier to detect irregular wagering patterns that revealed player prop manipulation.
Regulation both increases access and provides the monitoring that exposes coordinated tanking on props.

ADVICE

Limit Two-Way Player Prop Markets

Consider restricting two-way player prop markets to reduce manipulation risk.
One practical option is offering only over bets and eliminating under markets for vulnerable players.

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Colin is joined by Danny Parkins, host of “First Things First” on FS1.

They dive straight into the MASSIVE gambling & match fixing scheme that ended in the arrest of Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones. They call it the “NBA’s Pete Rose” moment, and Danny argues Chauncey should be thrown out of the Hall of Fame if the allegations prove to be true (3:00).

They discuss the world of underground gambling & the history of the intersection of the mafia, gambling and sports and Danny explains why the level of regulation in legal betting is what caused the players to be caught tanking their player props (11:00).

They argue that these types of scandals will happen as long as the leagues are in bed with the sportsbook, but there’s no going back with the huge money involved, and it’s better to have props monitored and regulated rather than move underground. Danny argues that there’s a solid case to outlaw “under” player props (19:00).

Colin argues basketball is uniquely susceptible to corruption and match fixing due to its more individualistic nature, and why the team-centric, militaristic culture of the NFL would make it hard to pull off in football (28:00) . Danny argues that America is so addicted to sports that even if the Super Bowl was found to be rigged… people wouldn’t tune out.

They discuss why the leagues have too much money on the line to allow everything to be “rigged” like many fans believe, and Colin explains why conspiracies about refs being in on it are overblown (39:00).

Colin revisits the lead story he had for The Herd that had to be shelved due to the gambling story breaking… Victor Wembanyama’s absolutely insane 40 point performance against the best frontline in the league and debate whether he’s already the best player in the league at 21 years old (59:00).

Finally, Danny brings up the story of a G-league player moving over to college basketball and they both agree… that doesn’t feel right (1:10:00).

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