Mavericks Send Strong Message After Winning Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated May 12, 2025 8:44 PM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery took place on Monday evening in Chicago as teams across the league crossed their fingers for the top pick.

While there are plenty of talented players like Rutgers' walking bucket Ace Bailey, Duke big man Khaman Maluach and Texas' sharpshooting Tre Johnson, the big prize in this year's class is Duke's Cooper Flagg.

Widely regarded as the next great American prospect, Flagg can do everything on the floor and is expected to be the league's next superstar after a season where he won Naismith Men's College Player of the Year.

Although there were 10 teams with better odds for the No. 1 pick, it was the Dallas Mavericks—who had just a 1.8% chance—who secured the top pick in this year's class. It was a jaw-dropping turn of events for the team that traded away franchise cornerstone and five-time All-NBA guard Luka Doncic earlier in the season.

Following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery, the Mavericks took to X to celebrate the results.

"For the first time ever, we won the LOTTERY ," wrote the team.

While teams like the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs are among those who are the most disappointed, it's likely no team feels as sick as the Miami Heat.

They would have had the No. 11 lottery slot before they ultimately made the NBA playoffs. A team that comes in a close second in terms of being disgusted by the results are the Chicago Bulls, who lost out on the No. 11 slot via coin flip.

As for the Mavericks, they get a possible superstar that may be good enough to silence all of those who criticized them after they traded Doncic. While fans are already firing up the conspiracies, the Mavericks have to love how this unfolded.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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