NBA finds itself in foul trouble

Tuesday morning, a sombre David Stern stood before a room of sports reporters to outline what he called "the most serious situation that I have experienced either as a fan of the NBA, a lawyer for the NBA or commissioner of the NBA."
Last month, the National Basketball Association was informed that the FBI and the justice department were investigating Tim Donaghy, a 13-year referee, on suspicion that he bet on NBA games and provided inside information to gamblers. On July 9, Donaghy tendered his resignation to the league. He has not been charged with a crime. But there's potentially worse news for the league: Donaghy has reportedly told investigators that he will name other officials and players involved in gambling.
For now, Stern and his league deserve the benefit of the doubt. The league has regular contact with state gaming officials in Nevada and employs a consultant in Las Vegas who monitors any unusual movements in NBA betting.
The league captures every call – and every non-call – made by every referee in every game, regular and post-season. Those who monitor the games are overseen by a group of auditors. This year, the league audited the auditors. Until now, that information has been used for training purposes, not to screen for potential criminal activity. That could change: The NBA is rethinking how it discourages gambling.
The NBA did miss one warning sign. Two years ago, the league got a tip that Donaghy had been spotted placing bets at a casino in Atlantic City. "We checked out every casino in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, and all of our investigations came up negative," Stern said.
It's tempting to compare the NBA to Major League Baseball, which for years ignored signs that it had a problem with cheaters – players who used steroids and other substances that enhanced their performance. But from what we know, the NBA did not have reason to suspect that referees or players were gambling on league games. (Other than an exception for summer racetrack visits, all gambling – not just betting on sports – is forbidden for referees.)
Over the decades the NBA has survived plenty of problems – concerns about drug use and the character of its players, and, yes, concerns about gambling.
Stern says he thinks this is an isolated case. For the sake of professional basketball, let's hope he's right.