LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes and NBA Fans Lose Their Minds after Mavs Win Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes: “Rigged”

Teams waited to see how the NBA Draft Lottery decides where generational prospect and Duke standout Cooper Flagg would land.

LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes and NBA Fans Lose Their Minds after Mavs Win Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes: “Rigged”

LeBron James and NBA fans cannot believe the Mavs landed Cooper Flagg pick (Image via Firstsportz)

Ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, bottom-ranked teams were looking to trade away their picks as the prospects entering the draft did not excite anyone. That was not the situation ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, as the thought of landing Cooper Flagg saw multiple teams tank.

Flagg is touted to be a generational talent. Standing at 6′ 9″ and possessing a high motor and his already good basketball skills translates to a prospect teams can build around for at least a decade. That prompted several teams to trade away their top players in the hopes of increasing their odds of entering the Draft Lottery.

Entering this 2025 Draft Lottery, many believed the Duke standout would go to one of the four teams that lost more than 60 games this past regular season. Fans waited to see who would gain the most in the lottery sweepstakes.

When NBA assistant commissioner Mark Tatum started to read out the names of teams who will draft from No. 14 up to No. 11, the Dallas Mavericks, by order and win percentage, became the first team to enter the Top 4.

Then, after a few more teams were revealed, it became clear that the San Antonio Spurs also jumped into the Top 4. Soon after, the Philadelphia 76ers joined the Top 4, and then finally, the Charlotte Hornets. Soon after, it was revealed that the Hornets would pick at No. 4.

After Mark Tatum announced that the 76ers and Spurs would pick at No. 3 and No. 2, those representing the Dallas Mavericks erupted into cheers. At the same time, the news that the Mavs landed Cooper Flagg sent shockwaves throughout the sports world.

Mavs netting Cooper Flagg has everyone questioning NBA’s transparency

Cooper Flagg could have helped change any of those bottom-ranked teams to become contenders soon. His presence could have elevated the team’s fan base and brought about an exponential increase in revenue. But instead, he will be going to the Dallas Mavericks.

After all that has transpired with the Mavericks, fans and everyone who is a part of or loves watching and covering the game were left speechless. Their reactions suggest either that the Mavericks are extremely lucky to land Flagg or that the NBA has changed the landscape to suit its needs. Check out examples of those comments below.

No one in their right frame of mind would have envisioned that the Dallas Mavericks of all teams would net Cooper Flagg. The only possibility of this not happening by the end of June is if GM Nico Harrison gets a trade offer he cannot refuse. The franchise is in win-now mode, which could factor in when the Draft arrives.

Flagg, along with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, will be lethal

After Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic away to the Los Angeles Lakers, he received a lot of brickbats for not asking for more draft capital or other assets in return. However, some believed the trade helped the Dallas Mavericks more than it did the Lakers.

Cooper Flagg with a healthy Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving will be lethal
Cooper Flagg with a healthy Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving will be lethal (Image via Open Source/X)

They received Anthony Davis, who, when paired with Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, and the twin centers, would be too much for other teams to handle. Additionally, Harrison traded away another young talent to land a prized veteran rotational player.

Now with Cooper Flagg in the mix, the Mavericks can extend their championship window longer than they originally hoped. Flagg will take some time to adjust to the rigors of the NBA. Irving might not play this coming season after undergoing surgery.

If Irving can mentor his fellow Duke alumnus this upcoming season, and they can stay healthy, then the Mavericks will have a team ready to compete in the 2026-27 season. By then, few teams in the league will have an answer for the personnel the Mavericks can throw at them. Flagg just helped the team unlock a new dimension.

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