The Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, securing the No. 1 overall pick despite having only a 1.8% chance of winning. This marks the first time the Mavericks have won the lottery. The expected top pick is Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward and consensus player of the year, who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in his freshman year, leading Duke to the Final Four.

The Mavericks' win has stirred controversy, with many fans and media members expressing skepticism and alleging the lottery was rigged, especially after the Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) saw "rigged" trending, with users pointing to the coincidence of Dallas receiving the top pick shortly after trading away a generational talent. Comparisons were drawn to past situations, such as Anthony Davis's trade to the Lakers and the Pelicans subsequently receiving the No. 1 pick.

LeBron James, who experienced a similar situation when the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003, humorously acknowledged the situation. Some analysts believe the Mavericks' selection of Flagg, positioned between Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, could make them a formidable team, assuming Irving returns from an ACL tear.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faces scrutiny and allegations of rigging the lottery to benefit the Mavericks. However, some argue that such claims are unfounded, citing the lack of concrete evidence over the lottery's four-decade history. Others emphasize that the Mavericks' success represents a stroke of luck.

The 2025 NBA Draft will be held on June 25 (First Round) and June 26 (Second Round) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The draft order following the Mavericks includes San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Charlotte. Notably, this year also sees the Dallas Wings securing the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, selecting Paige Bueckers from UConn, marking only the second time in NBA/WNBA history that the same city has won both No. 1 picks.