Dallas Mavericks land No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks have struck gold, landing the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Armed with just a 1.8% chance at the No. 1 overall pick, the Mavericks have expectations to secure the coveted number one overall pick for the 2025 NBA Draft in tonight's NBA Draft Lottery.

99 Days after the Luka Dončić trade

The lottery win comes 99 days after Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, sending ripples of disappointment through the Dallas faithful. This unexpected lottery win injects a massive dose of optimism into a fanbase still reeling from the loss of their beloved former star.

The front office maintained that the move was necessary to acquire future assets and rebuild for long-term success. 

That long-term success could come in the form of the projected number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg.

What they're saying:

Four-time NBA All-Star Rolando Blackman, who represented Dallas at the draft lottery, spoke after the ping-pong balls bounced their way.

"For us, it's been a rough year as you all know," said Blackman. But the important part of the whole thing is that we'll get a chance to move our franchise forward. We have a tremendous staff and management. The important factor for us is to be able to continue in that tradition and to be able to move forward. It's really a great honor, and it's an important piece of the puzzle because we've been wanting hoop down in Dallas."

"Unreal. I'm still shaking. First time we have ever moved up. I was screaming the whole time with my son," said Mark Cuban.

Projected number 1 overall pick: Cooper Flagg

The Mavericks now hold the key to potentially drafting franchise-altering talent. The coming months will be critical as the Mavericks prepare for the draft and look to build a new era, potentially with Cooper Flagg as its cornerstone. 

Flagg is a 6-foot-9 forward from Maine, who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in his freshman season at Duke. With elite two-way potential, Flagg is widely projected to go first overall in June’s draft.

Flagg was named the ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year, joining previous top NBA Draft picks Zion Williamson, Marvin Bagley III, and Jahlil Okafor as the only players in conference history to win both awards in the same season.

Cooper Flagg had a record-breaking college basketball career in his one year at the collegiate level, acquiring: 

• 2025 National College Player of the Year
• Consensus First-Team All-American
• 2025 Lute Olson Award for most outstanding men's college basketball player
• 2025 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award
• 2025 USBWA Freshman of the Year Award
• 2025 NABC Freshman of the Year

Flagg was named to the USA Select team to practice with the United States men's national team ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, where USA Basketball won a gold medal.

City of Dallas makes basketball history 

The Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Wings are just the second basketball city to obtain the No. 1 overall pick in both the NBA and WNBA draft in the same season.

It is the first time in Dallas Mavericks history that the team has moved up in the NBA Draft Lottery.

What's next:

The 2025 NBA Draft is June 25 and 26 in New York. 

This year’s draft has 59 spots instead of the usual 60 because the NBA rescinded the Knicks’ second-round pick for violating league rules by having early free agency discussions with Jalen Brunson. 

Dallas MavericksSports