The Dallas Mavericks secured the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft after winning the lottery with just a 1.8% chance. This victory positions them to potentially select Cooper Flagg, a standout forward from Duke, in the upcoming June draft. Following the Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs will pick second, with the top five rounding out with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz. The Jazz and Washington Wizards, both entering with a 14% chance for the top pick, surprisingly fell out of the top four; the Wizards will select sixth and the New Orleans Pelicans, who had a 12.5% chance, will pick seventh.
After a season marked by controversy, including trading their star player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks are poised to reshape their roster with young talent. Flagg, 18, is highly regarded and anticipated to be the top selection, having recently reclassified from the 2024 recruiting class. He was a key player for Team USA, helping them win the FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup in 2022, and practiced with the USA Select Team ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2024.
At Duke, Flagg had a strong season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, contributing significantly to a Final Four run. The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25, with the second round following on June 26. Notably, the draft will feature only 59 selections this year due to the New York Knicks forfeiting a pick as a result of a tampering investigation. The full lottery results have been announced, indicating a significant reshuffle in team strategies moving forward.
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