Cooper Flagg goes No 1 to Dallas Mavericks in draft, perhaps NBA planned it that way?

Cooper Flagg goes No 1 to Dallas Mavericks in draft, perhaps NBA planned it that way?

Mavericks had a 1.8% chance to receive the top pick in the lottery

Dallas Mavericks' Rolando Blackman celebrates after NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum announced that the Mavericks won the first pick in the NBA basketball draft lottery in Chicago, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Duke forward Cooper Flagg reacts against the Houston during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Commissioner of the NBA Adam Silver speaks at the press conference before the NBA In-Season Tournament Finals game between Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on December 9, 2023. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)