The Dallas Mavericks have captured the flag.
The franchise won the 2025 NBA draft lottery on Monday, earning the right to draft projected top pick Cooper Flagg. Dallas entered the lottery with just a 1.8% chance of landing the No. 1 spot.
It's only the second time the Mavericks will select No. 1 in the NBA draft. They selected Mark Aguirre with the top pick in 1981.
Dallas jumped 10 spots from its projected spot, the highest rise by any team in lottery history, according to ESPN Research. The previous record was nine spots by the Atlanta Hawks last year.
The Mavs' momentous draft news comes after a tumultuous season that included the shocking trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Dallas was eliminated from postseason contention after losing the No. 8 seed play-in tournament game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The stunning result of the lottery prompted reaction from around the sports world, led by Lakers star LeBron James and Mavericks fan Patrick Mahomes.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 12, 2025
GOOO @dallasmavs https://t.co/OuopQREADm
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) May 12, 2025
1.8% 🤣🤣
— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) May 13, 2025
👀👀👀
— PJ Washington (@PJWashington) May 12, 2025
Unreal
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) May 13, 2025
OMFG
Let's Go Mavs
I mean come on man 🤣🤣🤣
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) May 12, 2025
But...... There has been some great players drafted with the 5th pick! pic.twitter.com/o29KhUM9cc
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) May 12, 2025
This goes to show why faith and always believing are so important folks 😂🤣
— τobias Harris (@tobias31) May 12, 2025
#1 PICK PARTY IN DALLAS 🎉
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) May 12, 2025
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) May 12, 2025
