Well, that just happened. The 2025 NBA Draft landscape was flipped upside down Monday night as the Dallas Mavericks defied the odds and secured the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. With just a 1.8% chance to win, the Mavs vaulted to the top of the board in a surprise result during the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago.
Surprisingly is the understatement of all understatements.
In a wild turn of events, Dallas, which made the Play-In Tournament this season after trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers, is poised to reshape the franchise around a potential future superstar. The consensus expectation is that Duke standout Cooper Flagg will be the top selection. The versatile forward nearly swept National Player of the Year honors in college and is widely viewed as a game-changing two-way talent.
The Draft Lottery brought plenty of surprises. The San Antonio Spurs (No. 2), Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3), and Charlotte Hornets (No. 4) join the Mavericks in the top four. Meanwhile, previously higher-positioned teams like the Wizards, Jazz, Pelicans, and Nets slipped down the order.
Let’s not understate how San Antonio has yet another top 3 pick.
Based on regular-season records, picks 5 through 14 were awarded to the remaining non-playoff teams. Picks 15 through 30 will be made by playoff teams in reverse order of their records. The second round, meanwhile, follows a strict record-based order with a few tie-breakers settled on lottery night.
The 2025 Draft will include just 59 total selections, not 60. The New York Knicks forfeited their second-round pick due to a tampering violation from 2022, when they prematurely pursued now-star guard Jalen Brunson. Given Brunson’s performance, the Knicks are likely unbothered by the penalty.
Regarding draft capital, the Brooklyn Nets lead the pack with four first-round picks and one in the second round, followed closely by Utah, which holds four total picks. As always, expect plenty of movement on draft night, especially in the second round, where trades are frequent and unpredictable.
Now that the 2025 NBA Draft order is locked in, the focus turns to June, when Dallas will likely make Cooper Flagg the face of their franchise’s future.
Lose Luka and get Flagg. That’s how that works, huh? Interesting times.