Nico Harrison has ecstatic reaction to winning $1bn Cooper Flagg sweepstake but now faces huge Giannis dilemma
Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks front office lost their minds as they won the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. Despite entering the night with just a 1.8 percent chance of landing the top pick, that’s exactly what the team did. The Mavericks have won the top pick of the 2025 NBA Draft despite a 1.8% chance Of the teams in the lottery, the Mavericks’ odds were the fourth-worst, yet they will now have the opportunity to select generational Duke superstar Cooper Flagg at No. 1 overall. After the shocking news was confirmed, Dallas shared a video from a conference room where members of the front office watched the event unfold. General manager Harrison was the first to jump out of his seat as the room exploded. Others yelled with excitement, waved towels above their heads, fist-pumped and hugged amid the jubilation. Harrison has been one of the most embattled people in the NBA in recent months, after sanctioning a deeply unpopular trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Dallas received a relatively light return for their superstar in the form of Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and LA’s 2029 first-round pick. Harrison has since admitted he miscalculated the depth of love his club’s fans had for Doncic, but he still believes it was the right move for building a championship contender in Dallas. If Flagg ends up becoming the franchise star that so many expect, those chances will be further boosted. The Doncic trade will no doubt continue to bring plenty of heat from Mavericks fans, but Harrison is a GM with a new lease of life after the draft lottery win. He may have another big decision to make in the coming weeks, though. Embattled GM Harrison jumped out of his seat as the Mavs won the lotteryDallas Mavericks Other memebers of the front office cheered and fist-pumped as the news was confirmedDallas Mavericks Harrison has not been a popular figure in Dallas since trading DoncicGetty Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, has been considered the front-runner to be the top pick in the 2025 draft since August 2023, when he announced his decision to graduate high school a year early and enroll in college at 17. With Duke, he exceeded lofty expectations by averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He also led the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance last season. With Flagg in uniform, a franchise valued at $4.7billion could eventually add another $1bn to its worth if the former Duke star becomes an annual All-NBA selection. “One NBA executive estimated privately in recent weeks that winning the draft lottery would be worth a minimum of $500million and maybe up to $1 billion for one lucky franchise,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted. “The Mavericks just won the lottery, literally.” Harrison, though, could be tempted to use Flagg as leverage to land a different superstar — Giannis Antetokounmpo. Flagg has long been projected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draftGetty With Giannis exploring his options, Harrison could be tempted to trade the top pick to MilwaukeeGetty The Milwaukee Bucks star is said to be open to exploring his best fits away from the team he inspired to NBA Championship glory in 2021. At 30-years-old, he is in the prime of his career, and would turn any franchise into an instant contender. With the Doncic trade, Harrison made it clear he wants to win now, and if the Bucks are to give up Giannis, getting Flagg in return would soften that blow. It might sound like a wild theory, but some are already worried it could actually happen. “Nico Harrison is crazy enough to try to trade the No. 1 pick and salary for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Watch out for that,” one NBA reporter posted on X. “The only thing that sucks about today is that Mavs fans have to be somewhat worried that Nico Harrison tries trading THE FIRST OVERALL PICK for Giannis. I genuinely hope he knows WE WANT COOPER FLAGG. PLEASE DON’T SCREW THIS UP,” a second begged. “Nico Harrison gonna trade that No. 1 pick for Giannis,” a third claimed. While time will tell what unfolds, CEO Rick Welts has already hinted that Flagg will land in Dallas. “I am so happy for Mavericks fans,” he said Monday, clutching an envelope with the No. 1 on it. “I only got to Dallas January 1 this year. February 1, we broke the internet (with the Doncic trade). “I am just amazed at the depth of emotion and connection that the fan base has with this team. And what happened today, I can’t imagine a better day for Mavs fans. “It’s going to really be something special. I can’t wait to get back to Dallas. “I don’t know who we’re going to take, but should we take (Flagg), I think his resume is pretty strong. “Every time he’s put in a situation that everyone wondered if he could succeed, he’s succeeded and then some.” With just a 1.8 percent chance to win the lottery on Monday night, Dalla
Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks front office lost their minds as they won the 2025 NBA Draft lottery.
Despite entering the night with just a 1.8 percent chance of landing the top pick, that’s exactly what the team did.
Of the teams in the lottery, the Mavericks’ odds were the fourth-worst, yet they will now have the opportunity to select generational Duke superstar Cooper Flagg at No. 1 overall.
After the shocking news was confirmed, Dallas shared a video from a conference room where members of the front office watched the event unfold.
General manager Harrison was the first to jump out of his seat as the room exploded.
Others yelled with excitement, waved towels above their heads, fist-pumped and hugged amid the jubilation.
Harrison has been one of the most embattled people in the NBA in recent months, after sanctioning a deeply unpopular trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February.
Dallas received a relatively light return for their superstar in the form of Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and LA’s 2029 first-round pick.
Harrison has since admitted he miscalculated the depth of love his club’s fans had for Doncic, but he still believes it was the right move for building a championship contender in Dallas.
If Flagg ends up becoming the franchise star that so many expect, those chances will be further boosted.
The Doncic trade will no doubt continue to bring plenty of heat from Mavericks fans, but Harrison is a GM with a new lease of life after the draft lottery win.
He may have another big decision to make in the coming weeks, though.
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, has been considered the front-runner to be the top pick in the 2025 draft since August 2023, when he announced his decision to graduate high school a year early and enroll in college at 17.
With Duke, he exceeded lofty expectations by averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He also led the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance last season.
With Flagg in uniform, a franchise valued at $4.7billion could eventually add another $1bn to its worth if the former Duke star becomes an annual All-NBA selection.
“One NBA executive estimated privately in recent weeks that winning the draft lottery would be worth a minimum of $500million and maybe up to $1 billion for one lucky franchise,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted.
“The Mavericks just won the lottery, literally.”
Harrison, though, could be tempted to use Flagg as leverage to land a different superstar — Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks star is said to be open to exploring his best fits away from the team he inspired to NBA Championship glory in 2021.
At 30-years-old, he is in the prime of his career, and would turn any franchise into an instant contender.
With the Doncic trade, Harrison made it clear he wants to win now, and if the Bucks are to give up Giannis, getting Flagg in return would soften that blow.
It might sound like a wild theory, but some are already worried it could actually happen.
“Nico Harrison is crazy enough to try to trade the No. 1 pick and salary for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Watch out for that,” one NBA reporter posted on X.
“The only thing that sucks about today is that Mavs fans have to be somewhat worried that Nico Harrison tries trading THE FIRST OVERALL PICK for Giannis. I genuinely hope he knows WE WANT COOPER FLAGG. PLEASE DON’T SCREW THIS UP,” a second begged.
“Nico Harrison gonna trade that No. 1 pick for Giannis,” a third claimed.
While time will tell what unfolds, CEO Rick Welts has already hinted that Flagg will land in Dallas.
“I am so happy for Mavericks fans,” he said Monday, clutching an envelope with the No. 1 on it.
“I only got to Dallas January 1 this year. February 1, we broke the internet (with the Doncic trade).
“I am just amazed at the depth of emotion and connection that the fan base has with this team. And what happened today, I can’t imagine a better day for Mavs fans.
“It’s going to really be something special. I can’t wait to get back to Dallas.
“I don’t know who we’re going to take, but should we take (Flagg), I think his resume is pretty strong.
“Every time he’s put in a situation that everyone wondered if he could succeed, he’s succeeded and then some.”
With just a 1.8 percent chance to win the lottery on Monday night, Dallas jumped 10 spots to grab the top pick, the biggest move by any team in history. Some fans have even suggested the drama was scripted.
The San Antonio Spurs — with back-to-back rookies of the year in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle — will pick second, while the Philadelphia 76ers will pick third, and the Charlotte Hornets fourth.
The 2025 NBA Draft will take place on June 25-26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
