Dallas Mavericks win NBA draft lottery. No such luck for Sacramento Kings
In a stunning stroke of luck, the Dallas Mavericks were awarded the right to select Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
There was no such luck for the Sacramento Kings, who will go into their first draft under general manager Scott Perry without a first-round pick.
The Mavericks made good on their 1.8% chance to secure the No. 1 pick while the Kings came away as the biggest loser in Monday’s NBA draft lottery.
Sacramento had a 3.8% chance of vaulting into the top four to retain its top-12 protected first-round pick. Instead, the Kings remained at No. 13, meaning the pick will be conveyed to the Atlanta Hawks to complete the 2022 trade for Kevin Huerter.
The lottery results leave Sacramento with only one pick in the draft, which will be held June 25-26. The Kings will have to wait until the second round to make their selection with the 42nd overall pick.
NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum unveiled lottery winners and losers on ESPN, but the actual lottery was conducted in a private room before the broadcast.
Vice president of basketball engagement Alvin Gentry represented the Kings in the drawing room, where representatives of each team are sequestered without electronic devices. Kings guard Keon Ellis represented the team on stage during the lottery show.
The Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets were awarded the top four picks. The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets rounded out the top 10 followed by the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, Hawks and Spurs.
Flagg, 18, is widely projected as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals to lead Duke to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.
The Mavericks, who are three months removed from the stunning decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, will add Flagg to a core that features Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
Other players projected as top five picks include Rutgers combo guard Dylan Harper, Rutgers small forward Ace Bailey, Baylor shooting guard V.J. Edgecombe and Texas shooting guard Tre Johnson.
