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:
“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:
-
Dallas Mavericks
-
San Antonio Spurs
-
Philadelphia 76ers
-
Charlotte Hornets
-
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:
-
1993 Magic – 1.52%
-
2014 Cavaliers – 1.7%
-
2008 Bulls – 1.7%
-
2025 Mavericks – 1.8%
-
2011 Cavaliers – 2.8%
-
2024 Hawks – 3.0%
The 2025 Draft Class: Who Follows Flagg?
Behind Flagg, a promising group of prospects is emerging:
-
Dylan Harper (Rutgers): Crafty lead guard with elite scoring instincts
-
Ace Bailey (Rutgers): Explosive wing and two-way threat
-
VJ Edgecombe (Baylor): Powerful scorer with NBA-ready frame
-
Tre Johnson (Texas): Smooth shot-creator
-
Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma): Fast-rising combo guard
-
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.
