Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, a standout player from Duke University, was widely regarded as the frontrunner for the No. 1 overall pick. After an impressive season, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, he was surprised to see the Dallas Mavericks win the draft lottery, given their 1.8% odds. In a podcast, Flagg admitted he never considered Dallas as a potential landing spot. The Mavericks, who finished 10th in the Western Conference the previous season, saw the teams with the highest lottery chances, including Washington, Utah, and Charlotte, fall out of the top three. Despite the Mavericks' struggles in the current season, Flagg remains a strong candidate for the NBA Rookie of the Year award, with only five regular season games left.