HISTORY MADE! The Dallas Mavericks have landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft! With Cooper Flagg as their top choice, the future looks bright for the Mavs.

Mavericks Defy Odds, Win 2025 NBA Draft Lottery – All Eyes on Cooper Flagg

DALLAS — Lightning has struck in Dallas. With a mere 1.8% chance, the Dallas Mavericks have pulled off one of the most improbable victories in NBA Draft Lottery history, securing the coveted No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 NBA Draft.

The stunning result, announced from Chicago on May 12, comes just 99 days after the franchise-shaking trade that sent superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. While many Mavericks fans were still mourning the loss of their generational talent, fate has delivered a jolt of hope and excitement to the city.

Mavs win NBA Draft Lottery, earn right to draft Flagg

A Franchise-Altering Moment

Representing the Mavericks at the lottery was four-time NBA All-Star Rolando Blackman, who couldn’t contain his excitement after the ping-pong balls fell Dallas’ way.

“For us, it’s been a rough year, as you all know,” Blackman said. “But the important part is that we now have a chance to move our franchise forward. We have tremendous staff and management. This is a critical piece of the puzzle for us—Dallas has been hungry for this moment.”

Team owner Mark Cuban echoed the sentiment, admitting, “Unreal. I’m still shaking. First time we have ever moved up. I was screaming the whole time with my son.”

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The Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes

With the No. 1 pick in hand, the Mavericks are now poised to select the most anticipated prospect in years: Cooper Flagg.

Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward from Maine, electrified college basketball in his freshman season at Duke, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. His rare blend of size, skill, and two-way dominance has scouts projecting him as a franchise cornerstone.

His accolades are staggering:

2025 National College Player of the Year
Consensus First-Team All-American
ACC Player of the Year & ACC Rookie of the Year (joining the likes of Zion Williamson)
Lute Olson Award, Julius Erving Award, USBWA Freshman of the Year, NABC Freshman of the Year

Flagg even trained with the USA Select Team ahead of the 2024 Olympics, where Team USA captured gold.

A New Dawn for Dallas Basketball

The Mavericks’ lottery luck marks the first time in franchise history that they’ve moved up in the draft order. Adding to the city’s basketball triumph, the Dallas Wings also secured the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft this year—making Dallas just the second city ever to hold both top picks in the same season.

For Mavericks GM Nico Harrison and his front office, the next few months will be pivotal. With the chance to draft a potential generational talent like Flagg, Dallas can now dream of building a new era—one where the heartbreak of losing Luka is replaced by the hope of a bright, Flagg-led future.