After a turbulent 2024-25 season, the Dallas Mavericks were granted the top overall pick of this summer’s NBA Draft, essentially giving them the right to draft Cooper Flagg from Duke.

Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts couldn’t help but put on his tin foil hat since the team only had a 1.8 percent chance of nabbing the first pick, beating worse teams like the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and New Orleans Pelicans.

“I’m the only person who was in this room and the room 40 years ago. I was in charge of the NBA draft lottery 40 years ago when Patrick Ewing won. I’ve been doing conspiracy theory stories ever since. This is very surreal, personally,” Welts said via Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.

Dallas Mavericks CEO's 1 Wild Take on the Blockbuster Luka Doncic Trade is Embarrassing 7 Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; (from left) Mark Cuban and new Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts and retiring Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, and Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont present Marshall with a commemorative jersey during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“It just feels like a reversal of fortune, like of epic proportions to us,” he added.

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban only needed five words to react to the big news. Like many basketball fans, he also couldn’t believe that Dallas were handed a lifeline, especially after what happened this year.

Mar 16, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Mark Cuban reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images