Dallas Mavericks Win 2025 NBA Draft Lottery

After a tumultuous season filled with questionable decisions and fan discontent, the Dallas Mavericks defied the odds and won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

Dallas will have the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, scheduled to take place at the Barclays Center in New York City on June 25. This presents the Mavericks with the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg, a standout freshman from Duke University.

This marks the first time the organization has moved up in the NBA Draft Lottery. The Mavericks entered the event slotted at No. 11, with only a 1.8% chance of securing the top pick and an 8.50% chance at moving into one of the top four positions.

This is the second time that Dallas has held the first-overall selection. In 1981, the Mavericks used the first overall pick to select Mark Aguirre out of DePaul in the second-ever draft in Mavericks franchise history.

Drafting the 6-foot-9 Flagg will serve as a small consolation for Mavericks fans who are still reeling from the loss of generational talent Luka Doncic. On February 1, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison made a shocking decision by trading Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The trade, which returned an often-injured Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, drew widespread criticism from NBA players, fans, and the media alike.

The repercussions were swift: season ticket holders demanded refunds, and there was a notable decline in home game attendance and merchandise sales. ESPN reported that the trade cost the Mavericks tens of millions of dollars this season and could potentially cost them nine figures over the next several years.

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Despite several media appearances, Harrison has yet to fully explain the rationale behind his decision to trade away the five-time All-Star and First Team All-NBA selection just seven months after Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.

Selecting Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick this summer could help alleviate some of the fan dissatisfaction and financial losses incurred from trading Doncic. However, the Mavericks still have a long way to go in rebuilding goodwill with fans, many of whom continue to chant “Fire Nico” at various events in the Dallas area.