1.8%. That was the possibility of the Dallas Mavericks landing the No.1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. But all those calculations were flipped, shocking the entire basketball landscape. An NBA draft prospect is the latest addition to the list of stunned spectators.
Maryland star Derik Queen was just as shocked as the rest of the world when the Dallas Mavericks were chosen to land the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft — and with it, the chance to draft Cooper Flagg.
Queen speaks on Mavs’ lottery jump
“It was crazy,” said Maryland center Queen, a projected top-10 pick. “Dallas getting No. 1 is crazy. If Dallas didn’t have their injuries, they would probably still be in the playoffs right now. We all know Cooper is going to go No. 1. Adding Cooper to those pieces, it’s going to be fun to watch.”
Queen’s comments are a reflection of the shockwaves that the Mavericks’ lottery luck sent across the league. As the ping-pong balls fell, Dallas climbed from 11th all the way to first — the biggest jump in NBA Draft Lottery history.
For a franchise that had already made major headlines this year with a blockbuster trade sending Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie, the Mavericks’ draft lottery victory feels like another massive turning point.
From the outset, it seems that the Mavs were dealt the perfect hand. Flagg will have lower expectations offensively since Davis and Kyrie Irving will be there to hold down the fort offensively. Flagg simply needs to be athletic and play defense — which is his best attribute.
Flagg is also not a generational transformative talent like Wemby — but he is NBA-ready on defense. As such, the situation in Dallas is almost ideal for a player like Flagg as opposed to being drafted to a bottom of the conference market like the Wizards or Jazz. As a very good third or fourth option for a playoff team, Flagg can elevate the Mavs to a whole another level.
Queen himself has been projected by ESPN to go No. 11 in the draft to the Portland Trail Blazers. His astonishment at the pick is something that the rest of the league is feeling. With the addition of Flagg, the Mavericks now have a unique blend of experienced stars and a highly-touted young prospect.
MORE: 2025 NBA Mock Draft Following Shocking Lottery Results
For a team that struggled with injuries and chemistry all season, this is a gift that fell into Dallas’s lap — a chance for the franchise to re-establish itself as a playoff force despite the friction and drama that defined its season. Queen could not have said it better — it will be wickedly fun to watch.
