Nov 5, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Dallas Mavericks logo during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mavericks CEO reacts to team winning first overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated May 12, 2025 8:28 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks beat the odds on Monday night, jumping from the 11th-best odds to land the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. They entered the night with a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery, and now leave with the option to select Cooper Flagg if they want him.

It's a monumental moment in franchise history, as the team went through a season from hell with all of the injuries and the Luka Doncic trade, and the chance at Cooper Flagg gives some hope to a hurt fanbase.

Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts was in attendance for the lottery on Monday night, sitting at a table as part of the team's representation while franchise legend Rolando Blackman was on the stage. Considering he was around for the first-ever draft lottery, this is a big moment for him.

"I'm the only person who was in this room and the room 40 years ago," Welts told Ben Golliver after the team landed the first pick. "I was in charge of the NBA draft lottery 40 years ago when Patrick Ewing won. I've been doing conspiracy theory stories ever since. This is very surreal, personally."

Those conspiracy theories will only continue to fly, as the team went from trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the most iconic franchise in the NBA, to landing the first overall pick on a 1.8% chance with a generational talent from Duke as the prize. Everyone was talking about how the NBA ratings were down early in the season, so it doesn't take much to think Adam Silver made a call to get a superstar to Los Angeles before he hits his prime, promising Dallas a superstar of their own in the draft.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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