What a glorious day to be an NBA fan ... depending on your allegiance.
Round 2 of the playoffs is in full swing, with two pivotal Game 4 showdowns set to take place. We got a bombshell report courtesy of ESPN's Shams Charania about two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, the first 14 picks of the 2025 draft are officially set, and the ping-pong balls rewarded the Dallas Mavericks with the top overall selection.
The Mavericks came out on top of the 41st annual NBA Draft Lottery, AKA the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. The one-and-done Duke star is touted as his class's consensus No. 1 prospect and a potential franchise-altering talent. In other words, Mavericks fans have every reason to celebrate tonight despite their team currently watching the postseason on TV and the fanbase mourning the Luka Dončić; this marks a turning point.
But as the Mavericks faithful begin to look toward the future with Flagg, let's look back on when/how many times the Mavericks won the draft lottery.
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Every Mavericks No. 1 overall pick in NBA Draft history after Dallas wins 2025 lottery
This marks the Mavericks' first time sitting atop the draft board ever! They've never won the No. 1 pick. Not all No. 1 picks are created equal. Timing is everything, and the Mavericks hit the jackpot, knowing they have the privilege of calling Flagg's name on June 25.
Flagg led Duke in all five major statistical categories in 2024-25: Points (19.2), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4) per game. The 18-year-old became the fourth-ever freshman to win the AP men's college basketball Player of the Year award, and almost did so unanimously. His versatility, size, two-way prowess and work ethic have entrenched him among the most hyped prospects in recent memory.
The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets had the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick (14 percent). They finished the 2024-25 regular season with the three-worst records in the league, by any means necessary.
There's no such thing as coincidence. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks came about as close to a mutual parting of ways as possible on the same day Flagg's fate was revealed. Could the Mavericks use the 2025 No. 1 pick as a golden ticket to the Greek Freak?