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Mavericks’ Mark Cuban gets 100% real about Dallas’ Cooper Flagg sweepstakes win

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints | By Dylan Fine | Last updated May 13, 2025 12:50 AM ET

Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban got 100% real about the franchise winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. The Mavericks shocked the world on Monday night, winning the lottery when they entered with just a 1.8% chance to do so. A franchise that traded away superstar point guard Luka Doncic to pair Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving together will now presumably get one of the best prospects of this generation on their roster. Should Flagg live up to the hype, the Mavericks are now squarely in the title race.

The all-purpose forward was the best player in college basketball at just 17 years old for most of his career. Flagg has drawn NBA comparisons to future Hall of Fame players like Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Pippen, and Jayson Tatum. It’s safe to say the organization was hyped by this news, including Cuban. The longtime majority owner of the organization did not hold back on social media on what he thought of his franchise’s good luck.

Unreal

OMFG

Let’s Go Mavs

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) May 13, 2025

The Mavericks were given a tremendous lifeline as they look to capitalize on this window

Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) dunks the ball against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at Alamodome. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

It’s been a tumultuous season for the franchise, to say the least. Nico Harrison’s decision to trade Doncic was widely blasted by the public and the Mavs’ fanbase. Dallas subsequently dropped in the West while the Lakers rose. Davis immediately got injured, and Kyrie Irving tore his ACL a few weeks later. Dallas then lost in the Play-In a year after making the NBA Finals. While Irving will not be back till probably January of 2026, Flagg will be the perfect fit when this roster is whole again.

The Newport, Maine native does not need the ball in his hands to be effective and is a phenomenal defender. Dallas needed another wing, and it got exactly what it needed to pair with its elite guard-forward combo. Overall, the conspiracies will reign over how the Mavs were able to rise in the draft like this. The only thing the franchise can do is to take advantage of this opportunity. Generational talents like Flagg do not come around often, and the 18-year-old has the skillset to make him an immediate contributor at the next level. The question is, can he develop soon enough to align with the primes of Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving?

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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