In a stunning twist of fate, the Dallas Mavericks secured the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, winning the lottery with just a 1.8% chance and making the biggest jump in lottery history. The victory comes just months after the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, a move heavily criticized by fans at the time.
Dallas’ win all but guarantees their selection of Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward widely considered the top prospect in the 2025 class. Flagg dominated college basketball this season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while leading Duke to the Final Four and capturing nearly every major national player of the year award.
“I can’t imagine a better day for Mavericks fans,” said Dallas CEO Rick Welts. “What happened today is going to be something special.”
Flagg’s performance has silenced doubters at every level, making him the consensus No. 1 pick heading into the June 25–26 draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Charlotte round out the top four picks. Meanwhile, teams like Utah and Washington, who had the highest odds at 14%, fell to fifth and sixth, respectively. Since the NBA’s 2019 lottery reform, no team with the worst record has won the top pick.
Projected to follow Flagg in the draft are standout Rutgers freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, both expected to be top-three picks. Harper, a 6-foot-6 point guard, broke Rutgers’ freshman scoring record and brings elite ball-handling and scoring prowess.
The Mavericks’ unexpected lottery win may mark the beginning of a bold new era in Dallas, just months removed from parting ways with their franchise cornerstone.
#NBA #Mavericks #NBAMockDraft #CooperFlagg
0 Comments