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The Dallas Mavericks had a 1.8% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery, which will enter the ordeal on Monday. They ignored the odds and ended the day with a first-place overall pick.
The team's award was to be the former Duke Blue Devils Star Cooper Flag. He is considered one of the best young basketball players even before he entered the university rankings.
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Dallas Mavericks' Roland Blackman celebrates after NBA vice commissioner Mark Tatum announced he won the first pick in the NBA Basketball Draft Lottery held in Chicago on Monday, May 12, 2025. (ap photo/nam Y. huh)
For the Mavericks, luck was on their side. Dallas made a shocking move to trade Luka Donsic for the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in February. The team still created a play-in tournament and became one of eight teams challenging the NBA title.
The NBA world was ubiquitous that the Mavericks were able to score the top pick. Basketball fans talked about the “conspiracy,” but LeBron James and Kevin Love added their own reaction to the fight.
Mavericks CEO Rick Weltz was responsible for the lottery draft when the New York Knicks received their first pick in 1985. He said that these theories need to be disrupted for four years and the 2025 lottery ticket needs to be exposed.
File – Duke's Cooper Flag #2 looks back after dunking the ball as Milos Uzan in Terrance Arsenault, #23, Myrik Wilson, #8, and #7. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
History of the NBA Draft Lottery: Where do the Mavericks always rank?
“I'm in this room and the only person I've been in the room 40 years ago,” Weltz said via the Washington Post. “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.”
However, Weltz was excited by the opportunity to choose Flagg.
The San Antonio Spurs will finish second, the Philadelphia 76ers will finish third, and the Charlotte Hornets will take their fourth pick.
Duke's Kon Knueppel, left, Cooper Flag smiles at the Chicago NBA Basketball Draft lottery on Monday, May 12, 2025. (ap photo/nam Y. huh)
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After Flagg, the two top prospects were considered freshmen of Rutgers Scarlet Knight, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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