The Dallas Mavericks were extremely lucky to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Ahead of the lottery, the Mavs had a 1.8 percent chance of securing the top pick, and therefore, the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg.
For Dallas, it worked out just like they prayed it would. Even former team owner Mark Cuban knows it was a sign from above.
“The truth is, the basketball gods smiled when [the Mavericks] got Cooper, and the kid is simply incredible,” Cuban said. “It’s hard to comprehend that an 18-year-old is the hope of a franchise, just like when we got Luka.”
The team faced significant criticism during the 2024-25 season after trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers, signaling that they were embarking on a rebuild. Now, with some veteran presences surrounding Flagg as he enters the most hyped rookie season since LeBron James joined the league in 2003, the rebuild is put on hold as they have the playoffs on their mind.