More than two decades later, Mike Bibby remains convinced that the Sacramento Kings were denied a fair opportunity to reach the NBA Finals in 2002.
During a recent podcast conversation with former Atlanta Hawks teammate Joe Johnson, Bibby was asked directly whether he believed Sacramento’s Western Conference Finals series against the Los Angeles Lakers had been rigged. His response was immediate and emphatic.
Bibby argued that the outcome may have altered the course of his career. He was producing the best basketball of his young career during that postseason, and he believes a Finals appearance – and the possibility of becoming Finals MVP – could have changed how his résumé is viewed today.
“You seen that sh*t?! Man, look that could have change my whole career, you know? I was rolling at that point. Now what if now, what it looks like if we go to the finals, I get finals MVP? That’s going to look a whole lot better on my resume than the sh*t I got now.”
Mike Bibby on playing against the Lakers in the WCF:
Joe: Do you honestly think it was rigged?
Mike: Hell yeah you seen that sh*t. Man, look that could have change my whole career, you know? I was rolling at that point. Now what if now, what it looks like if we go to the… pic.twitter.com/Pdu61Rl1uS
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) August 2, 2026
The hypothetical is impossible to prove, but Bibby’s frustration is understandable. He averaged 22.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds across the seven-game series, repeatedly delivering in high-pressure moments against the two-time defending champions. Sacramento entered Game 6 with a 3-2 lead and was one victory away from the Finals.
Instead, Los Angeles won Game 6, 106-102, in a contest that remains one of the most disputed in NBA history. The Lakers attempted 27 free throws in the fourth quarter alone and scored 16 of their final 18 points at the foul line. They finished the game with 40 free-throw attempts, compared with 25 for Sacramento.
The Kings still had another opportunity in Game 7 at home, but lost 112-106 in overtime. Sacramento shot 16-for-30 from the free-throw line and just 2-for-20 from three-point range, while Bibby scored 29 points and carried much of the late offense. Those missed opportunities complicate any attempt to explain the series entirely through officiating.
Allegations surrounding Game 6 intensified years later when former referee Tim Donaghy claimed that two officials had influenced the contest in an effort to extend the series. The NBA disputed those claims, and no official finding established that the game or series had been fixed. One of the referees involved also publicly rejected Donaghy’s account.
That distinction remains essential. Game 6 was controversial, and Bibby is entitled to believe Sacramento was treated unfairly. But his statement is an opinion, not proof that the league predetermined the result.
What cannot be disputed is how close the Kings came. They held a 3-2 lead, had one of basketball’s strongest teams and pushed the eventual champions through overtime in Game 7. Los Angeles went on to sweep the New Jersey Nets in the Finals and complete its third consecutive championship.
Bibby never reached the Finals during his 14-year NBA career. That is why the series still carries so much weight for him. In his mind, Sacramento did not simply lose a playoff matchup; it lost the chance to change careers, reputations and an entire franchise’s history.
