The Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Lottery on Monday night, which means they’ve actually won the Cooper Flagg lottery.
It’s shocking, given that Dallas had a 1.8% chance of winning the No. 1 pick. They will now undoubtedly select Flagg, named national college player of the year and a consensus first-team All-American in his lone season with Duke.
The Dallas Mavericks win the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery/the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes!
This will certainly get a whole lot of reaction in the sports world. #NBA #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/ytvF7y7hAg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 12, 2025
For many in the NBA media world and beyond, it’s also infuriating as the Mavericks front office traded away superstar and fan favorite Luke Dončić during the season in a universally criticized move. GM Nico Harrison took tons of flack for trading away one of the NBA’s best players for parts while the team’s season and immediate prospects dimmed.
However, it now appears that the move has paid off, as their late-season swoon led to the Mavericks getting one of the most sought-after draft picks in recent memory.
ESPN’s Jay Bilas, Kendrick Perkins, and Bob Myers react to the Dallas Mavericks winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery for the right to draft Cooper Flagg. 🏀🎙️ #NBA #NBADraft https://t.co/JGpMof80Dj pic.twitter.com/sij6HQpeYg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 12, 2025
Along with the conspiracy theorists who inevitably show up regarding the NBA Lottery, there was an immediate strong reaction to Dallas being “rewarded” for what many see as ineptitude.
This is absolutely maddening to reward such ineptitude
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) May 12, 2025
The #Mavs win the lottery, will pick No. 1 and can now draft Cooper Flagg.
Reverse karma? Irony? Not sure what’s happening.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 12, 2025
Oh get the fuck out of here. Come on.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) May 12, 2025
Being a Mavs fan right now has to be insane. Like you’re 99% happy, but 1% mad that they’re getting away with it?
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes.bsky.social) May 12, 2025 at 4:37 PM
What an absolutely incredible get-out-of-jail-free card for Nico Harrison.
— Abe Gordon (@AbeGordon) May 12, 2025
Even NBA players couldn’t believe the Mavericks just happened to end up with the No. 1 pick after trading away Luka.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 12, 2025
I mean come on man 🤣🤣🤣
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) May 12, 2025
If the league wanted some drama around what was supposed to be a straightforward 2025 NBA Draft first pick, they have it now.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.