By Eric Koreen, Will Guillory, Mike Vorkunov and Zach Harper
CHICAGO — As NBA fans prepared for the ending to one of the most dramatic draft lotteries in recent memory, one of the people who most stood to benefit from the result was blissfully unaware of what was happening.
Dallas Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont was about to receive a welcome phone call.
“He wasn’t following it in real time. He was at his kid’s track meet,” Dallas Mavericks chief executive officer Rick Welts said after his team cashed in on its 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery, earning the chance to take Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. “(Former Mavericks owner) Mark Cuban called him to say, ‘Oh my God, we’re in the top four.’ (Later) Mark Cuban called him back and (said) … we won, but (Dumont) said Mark was screaming so loud he couldn’t tell exactly what Mark was saying.”
The Mavericks, of course, traded Luka Dončić in February, inciting some of the most vocal and persistent fan discontent in recent memory. Most of it was directed at general manager Nico Harrison. By losing in the Play-In Tournament, the Mavs assured themselves a spot in the lottery.
“Everyone, including Patrick, has been through a lot the past three months,” Welts said. “This is just such a moment of exhilaration, a breath of fresh air for the franchise. You really feel like we get a fresh start.”
This was the most chaotic possible result, but after deputy commissioner Mark Tatum announced the Charlotte Hornets would be picking fourth, there were only wild results remaining.
• The San Antonio Spurs, who won the 2023 lottery that yielded Victor Wembanyama, will pick second. They had a 6.0 percent chance of adding Flagg to Wembanyama and midseason acquisition De’Aaron Fox.
• The Philadelphia 76ers will pick third. The 76ers “won” last offseason by signing Paul George, only to end up fielding some of the worst lineups in the league down the stretch to maximize the chances of keeping their pick, which was protected only through the top six. The Oklahoma City Thunder, of all teams, would get the pick otherwise. Instead, the 76ers will get a lifeline, whether they want to return to competing immediately or build around Tyrese Maxey for the future.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors might factor into the lottery, especially with the Spurs at No. 2, Flagg was a prize on his own, seen as more of a sure thing than most projected top picks.
While the Mavericks might be the franchise most in need of a PR win, getting it so soon is an example of comedy and drama converging.
“I’m willing to bet you’re talking to the only person who was in the room 40 years ago (when the New York Knicks won the 1985 draft lottery for Patrick Ewing),” Welts said. “I’ve been doing conspiracy theory stories for the last 40 years. I’m happy I was sitting down here (in front of the stage) and nowhere else.”
“This one was a crazy one,” Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri said. As a result of the Mavericks and Spurs jumping up, his team fell from seventh to ninth in the lottery. “I guess the lottery is real, then.”
How will Cooper Flagg fit on the Mavs’ roster?
Harrison has been preaching a defensive mindset ever since he shocked the world by sending Dončić to the Lakers in exchange for a package headlined by Anthony Davis. He’s been building a gigantic front line of forwards and centers since the 2024 trade deadline. Adding Flagg to the mix only strengthens that belief, even if it complicates some of the logistics.
Flagg can probably play small forward for the Mavs right away. He’s quick, nimble and his athleticism projects him to be able to defend plenty on the perimeter. The Mavericks also have Davis, centers Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, and forward PJ Washington. The problem: having five of these guys in the rotation is going to be a logjam of minutes.
It might call for roster reconstruction since the Mavericks are comparatively thin at guard. That becomes even more dire if Kyrie Irving can’t immediately bounce back from the torn right ACL he suffered in March.
“We’re happy to be talking about a story that’s not health,” Welts said. Davis suffered an adductor strain in his first game as a Maverick, while Irving later tore his ACL. “It’s been a lot of talk about injuries and a lot of talk about health for the last three months. It’s great to have something this positive and this exciting to talk about.”
Mavs fans had justifiable reasons to be mad at the franchise for giving away Dončić, but one of those reasons was how much older it made this team and how much shorter it made its window. This won’t make anybody forget Dončić in Dallas, but it does at least balance out that timeline.
“I’m so happy for Mavericks fans,” Welts said. “I only got to Dallas on Jan. 1 this year. On Feb. 1, we broke the internet. I’m just amazed at the depth of emotion and the connection that fan base has with this team. What happened today … I can’t imagine what it’s going to mean for Mavs fans. It’s going to really be something special. I can’t wait to get back to Dallas.
“I think there are parties in the streets tonight in Dallas.”
Beyond Flagg, the top of the 2025 draft is believed to be strong, and players available high in the lottery are also seen as potential difference-makers. Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper is the presumptive No. 2 pick; at 6-foot-6, the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper has a knack for getting to the rim and has playmaking polish. Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe and Duke wing Kon Knueppel could all go in the top five.
2025 NBA Draft Lottery order
- Dallas Mavericks
- San Antonio Spurs
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Charlotte Hornets
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors
- Houston Rockets
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Chicago Bulls
- Atlanta Hawks
- San Antonio Spurs
(Photo of Cooper Flagg: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
