Dallas Mavericks Win NBA Draft Lottery, Earn Right to Select No. 1 Overall Pick
In one of the most stunning NBA Draft Lottery outcomes in league history, the Dallas Mavericks have secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, jumping from the 11th spot with just a 1.8% chance. This marks the largest leap to the top pick since the lottery’s inception in 1985.
The win comes just three months after the Mavericks made headlines with the controversial trade of superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers — a move that was met with fierce criticism from fans and analysts alike. Now, with the chance to select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks are poised to usher in a bold new era.
“I am so happy for Mavericks fans,” said team CEO Rick Welts, who took over on January 1st. “I only got to Dallas at the start of the year. By February 1, we broke the internet with the Dončić trade. And now, this — I can’t imagine a better day for Mavs fans. It’s going to be something special.”
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, has been widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick since announcing his decision to graduate high school early and enroll at Duke as a 17-year-old. The Maine native didn’t disappoint, winning nearly every major national player of the year award while averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He led the Blue Devils to a 35-4 record and a Final Four appearance in his freshman campaign.
“Every time he’s been tested, he’s delivered,” said Welts. “If we do choose him, his résumé speaks for itself.”
The NBA Draft will be held on June 25–26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Behind Dallas, the top five picks are rounded out by San Antonio (2nd), Philadelphia (3rd), Charlotte (4th), and Utah (5th). Despite having the worst records in the league, Utah, Washington (6th), and Charlotte failed to land a top-three pick — a reflection of the flattened lottery odds system implemented in 2019 to discourage tanking.
The Mavericks’ win adds them to an elite list of teams who have defied the odds:
- 1993 Orlando Magic (1.52%)
- 2014 Cleveland Cavaliers (1.7%)
- 2008 Chicago Bulls (1.7%)
- 2025 Dallas Mavericks (1.8%)
Projected top prospects following Flagg include Rutgers teammates Dylan Harper, a dynamic 6-foot-6 point guard who led the Big Ten in freshman scoring, and explosive wing Ace Bailey. Other notable names expected to go early include Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, Texas’ Tre Johnson, Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears, and Duke center Khaman Maluach.
With the No. 1 pick secured, the Mavericks now stand at the center of the NBA offseason conversation, holding the keys to a potentially franchise-altering draft night.
Picks 1-14 in the 2025 NBA Draft
Picks 1-14 were determined by the lottery on Monday night.
| PICK NUMBER | TEAM |
|---|---|
| 1. | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2. | San Antonio Spurs |
| 3. | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 4. | Charlotte Hornets |
| 5. | Utah Jazz |
| 6. | Washington Wizards |
| 7. | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 8. | Brooklyn Nets |
| 9. | Toronto Raptors |
| 10. | Houston Rockets |
| 11. | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 12. | Chicago Bulls |
| 13. | Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento Kings) |
| 14. | San Antonio Spurs |
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.