A Lottery Miracle in Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks have flipped the NBA script. Just three months after trading franchise icon Luka Doncic, they defied the odds and landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — despite just a 1.8% chance.
“I’m so happy for Mavericks fans,” said Dallas CEO Rick Welts. “This is going to be something special.”
It marks the biggest jump in NBA Draft Lottery history — and a potential turning point for a franchise in transition.
The Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes
The presumed No. 1 pick is Duke star Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward who lived up to every ounce of hype in his lone college season. Flagg averaged:
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19.2 points
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7.5 rebounds
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4.2 assists
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Plus a Final Four run and a sweep of national player of the year honors.
“I don’t know who we’re going to take,” Welts said with a grin, “but should we take him, his resume is pretty strong.”
Top 5 Draft Order:
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Dallas Mavericks
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San Antonio Spurs
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Philadelphia 76ers
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Charlotte Hornets
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Utah Jazz
Spurs and Sixers Also Score Big
San Antonio — already home to back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle — now holds the No. 2 pick, giving them a shot at another core piece.
“You put yourself in a place to make a really big acquisition,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson.
Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Utah round out the top five. But Utah, Washington, and Charlotte — the three worst teams — were again shut out from the top slots, reinforcing the NBA’s flattened lottery odds post-2019 reform.
Tanking Doesn’t Pay: A Trend Confirmed
Since lottery reform, no team with the league’s worst record has won the No. 1 pick. The Mavericks now join an elite group of historical stunners:
Lowest Lottery Odds to Win No. 1 Pick:
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1993 Magic – 1.52%
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2014 Cavaliers – 1.7%
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2008 Bulls – 1.7%
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2025 Mavericks – 1.8%
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2011 Cavaliers – 2.8%
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2024 Hawks – 3.0%
The 2025 Draft Class: Who Follows Flagg?
Behind Flagg, a promising group of prospects is emerging:
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Dylan Harper (Rutgers): Crafty lead guard with elite scoring instincts
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Ace Bailey (Rutgers): Explosive wing and two-way threat
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VJ Edgecombe (Baylor): Powerful scorer with NBA-ready frame
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Tre Johnson (Texas): Smooth shot-creator
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Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma): Fast-rising combo guard
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Khaman Maluach (Duke): Towering center with a developing all-around game
The 2025 NBA Draft will be held June 25-26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN).
Dallas’ Rebuild Finds New Life
The Cooper Flagg era may be just weeks away. For a franchise that shocked its fanbase by trading Luka Doncic, this lottery win offers something rare — a clean slate with limitless potential.
From heartbreak to hope, the Mavericks have a shot to write a new chapter — and maybe their future centerpiece has already played his last college game in Duke blue.
