FanDuel Shares Statement on Shams Charania NBA Draft Report Controversy

One of the ways the NBA draft can become intriguing for fans is through the ability to place wagers on players’ overall draft positions. However, following one of the league’s highlighted events of the offseason, many bettors are now crying foul.

NBA reporter Shams Charania, a known brand ambassador for FanDuel, reported that G League Ignite star Scoot Henderson was “gaining serious momentum” to become the No. 2 pick for the Hornets just hours prior to the start of Thursday’s NBA draft.

That rumor never materialized, as Charlotte instead selected former Alabama standout Brandon Miller with the second pick. Charania, who has more than two million Twitter followers, appeared to massively impact the odds on the betting market for the No. 2 pick following his tweet.

Prior to Charania’s report on Thursday, FanDuel Sportsbook listed Miller at -650 and Henderson at +400 to be the No. 2 pick. However, after his tweet, the odds on the explosive guard coming off the board at No. 2 drastically flipped to prohibitive favorite odds at -700 with Miller soaring up to +400.

Sportsbooks primarily move the odds following either significant action or from sharp money—which can easily lead many to conclude that Charania’s tweet led to one-sided steam.

In a response to the Action Network, FanDuel claimed the company does not have advance notice of breaking news Charania, who also reports for The Athletic, may share.

“FanDuel is not privy to any news that Shams breaks on his platforms,” said a FanDuel spokesman.

As the draft moved closer, strong indications emerged that Miller would be the pick, leading to the odds flipping back to the former Crimson Tide star as the massive favorite at odds of -650 with Henderson returning to his +450 range.

Bettors who invested in the idea that Charania was sharing solid information were burned by an insider who lists himself as a “FanDuel Partner” on his Twitter page.

There are presently no regulations to prevent any conflict of interest among paid partners who are also members of the media with the ability to influence betting markets. 

Will there be changes in the future? Only time will tell.