Tradition or protest: Why fans boo NBA commissioner Adam Silver at the Draft?

Fans booing NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the draft is no secret. Every time the NBA Draft rolls around and Silver steps onto the stage, the boos begin. It’s become something of a tradition. With the 2025 NBA Draft set to take place on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, that tradition is expected to continue. But have you ever wondered why he receives such treatment from fans every time he appears?According to reports, the crowd often sees the commissioner as the “fall guy.” He’s blamed for everything that goes wrong in the league — from trades and team relocations to rule changes and controversial draft picks. People think he is behind rigging drafts and blame him for everything from player injuries due to too many matches to trades that do not win the approval of the fans.So whenever the NBA Commissioner appears, the fans respond with boos — a vocal show of disapproval. The exact origin of this tradition remains unclear. No one really knows when or why it started.So when Adam Silver walks onto the stage at Barclays Center on Thursday night, expect fans to boo the league's top executive once again. The draft will begin at 8 PM ET (Thursday 5:30 AM IST).Silver joined the NBA in 1992 and has held several key positions, including NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, President and COO of NBA Entertainment, NBA Chief of Staff, and Special Assistant to the Commissioner. He was appointed league commissioner on February 1, 2014.The excitement is buzzing ahead of the NBA Draft, which is now just a few hours away. The draft will feature top prospects, including Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Mavericks. Alongside Flagg, other highly rated names like Duke’s Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Georgia’s Asa Newell, and Maryland’s Derik Queen are also expected to be among the top picks.Also Read: Where to watch the 2025 NBA draft- Date, time, streaming details and moreIn the first round, teams will have just five minutes to make their selections. The 2025 NBA Draft will take place over two days. The first round is scheduled for Wednesday (June 25), and the second round will be held on Thursday (June 26). The first round will air on ABC and ESPN, while the second round will be broadcast on ESPN.