When the Dallas Mavericks landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, just months after trading away superstar Luka Doncic, fans around the league couldn’t help but point out the now all-too-familiar pattern.
Another generational talent exits a franchise, and almost like clockwork, the basketball gods or perhaps the league’s “scriptwriters” reward that franchise with the top pick in the draft.
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The Mavericks, who had just a 1.8% chance of landing the top selection, saw their odds beat the math in dramatic fashion. They traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, receiving Anthony Davis in return.
Months later, with the franchise teetering between contention and collapse due to injuries, the ping pong balls miraculously bounced their way. The prize? The rights to draft Cooper Flagg, one of the most hyped prospects ever.
And that’s exactly where this so-called “script” begins to write itself.
In 2019, after months of tension, Anthony Davis demanded a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans with his sights clearly set on the Lakers.
Before the trade materialized, the Pelicans jumped from the seventh-best odds to win the draft lottery, claiming the No. 1 pick and selecting Zion Williamson, one of the most dominant college prospects in years. With Zion in tow, they were ready to part with Davis. Balance restored.
Go back to 2012. Chris Paul had been traded to the Clippers in a controversial and still-discussed NBA move. The New Orleans Hornets, now the Pelicans, were left without their star. The following year? They won the lottery and selected Anthony Davis. Another franchise face, another fresh start.
And who could forget 2011? LeBron James made his infamous “Decision” in 2010, leaving Cleveland for Miami and leaving the Cavaliers in shambles. Just one year later, Cleveland improbably landed the No. 1 pick and selected Kyrie Irving, another savior delivered just in time.
Now in 2025, fans have seen enough to start wondering out loud. Social media erupted with reactions to the Mavericks’ lottery miracle.
“The conspiracy theorist attacks again,” one user posted.
“Perfectly balanced as everything should be,” another wrote, quoting Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War.
There were more: “NBA Fairplay,” “LeCommissioner,” “It’s rigged we get it,” and “Just shows the lottery works!!”
For skeptics, this isn’t just about luck. It’s a narrative pattern. A top player leaves? Cue the perfect reset. For others, it’s evidence that the league’s lottery system is working as designed, rewarding struggling franchises to maintain competitive balance.
But whether you believe it’s all just fortunate timing or something more orchestrated, one thing is clear: the NBA’s drama never fails to deliver. The timing, the twists, the sudden reversals of fortune, it’s no wonder fans say the league’s “scriptwriters never miss.”
Whether or not the Mavericks keep Cooper Flagg or flip him for another star like Giannis Antetokounmpo, one thing’s for sure: the post-Doncic era in Dallas couldn’t have gotten a better Hollywood rewrite.
