The Dallas Mavericks pulled off the unthinkable on Monday night, landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft despite entering the lottery with just a 1.8% chance.
It's the biggest jump in draft lottery history — and a stunning twist just months after the team traded away superstar Luka Doncic.
Now, they’ve got their eyes on Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, the projected top overall pick who dazzled in his freshman year and has been on scouts' radars since before he could legally vote.
1.8% chance. #MFFL pic.twitter.com/QHqjP4DlR9
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 13, 2025
Dallas CEO Rick Welts, who joined the organisation in January, was visibly emotional as he clutched the winning envelope.
“We broke the internet on February 1 with the Doncic trade,” he said. “And today, I can’t imagine a better day for Mavericks fans. This is going to be something special.”
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists for the Blue Devils, led them to a Final Four berth and swept nearly every national player of the year award.
While the Mavs haven’t confirmed they’ll draft him, the writing’s on the wall.
“If we take him,” Welts teased, “his résumé is pretty strong.”
Behind Dallas, San Antonio will pick second, followed by Philadelphia and Charlotte.
Meanwhile, the three teams with the best odds — Utah, Washington, and Charlotte — all slid out of the top four, once again proving that the NBA’s flattened odds system offers no guarantees.
The Mavericks are now in position to quickly rebuild post-Doncic and potentially centre their future around one of the most hyped prospects in years.
The 2025 NBA Draft kicks off June 25 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center — and all eyes will be on Dallas.
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