Lottery luck or shady backroom dealing? When it comes tothe NBA draft lottery, opinions are all over the spectrum. The 2025 NBA Draft isall about Duke star Cooper Flagg, who is the crown jewel of the class. TheUtah Jazz,Washington Wizards,Charlotte Hornetsand many more were hoping for the chance to alter the course of their franchise if the lottery went that way. Instead, the tinfoil hats were out in full force moments after theDallas Maverickswere given the honorto make the first selection June's draft. The NBA has been using a lottery format to determine their draft order since it was installed in 1985. Ahead of the 2019 lottery, the format was changed to the odds system in the hopes that it would discourage tanking. In a way, it has done the exact opposite. This year's lottery was filled with many non-competitive teams that chose to "load manage" their way through a season with the idea that it would give them a few extra percentage points. None of them, much like last year when theAtlanta Hawkswon, will pick at No. 1. In fact, the team with the worst record has yet to make the first selection since the format changed. Just months afterdealing Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakersinone of the most controversial tradesin NBA history, Dallas took advantage of its 1.8% odds to bring Flagg to the Lone Star State. In other words, you're saying there's a chance. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 — LeBron James (@KingJames)May 12, 2025 Bottom line, fans were not pleased with the outcome and didn't waste time in sharing those thoughts on social media. Here's a look at the reaction. Dear NBA fans, this is a safe space.Is the NBA Draft lottery rigged? Why or why not?The Dallas Mavericks made the worst trade in NBA History sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers and then got rewarded with the #1 pick in the draft lottery to potentially draft Cooper Flagg. WHAT!? — Robert Griffin III (@RGIII)May 12, 2025 "Trade Luka to our biggest market and we'll get you Flagg"pic.twitter.com/nJpM7jPTBO — NBA University (@NBA_University)May 12, 2025 the nba is never beating the rigged allegationspic.twitter.com/mFitmydwoC — csb (@itsCSB__)May 12, 2025 Ratings were down, so the NBA gave Luka to the Lakers, and then gave the #1 pick in the NBA Draft to Dallas as compensation. Disgusting corruption.And you can't even argue it. The odds are too low of all of this lining up the way it has.Completely rigged. — Mitch (@MitchCK_)May 12, 2025 I'm not a big conspiracy theorist but it seems awfully convenient that the Mavericks traded Luka to the NBA's biggest market and then got Cooper Flagg in return months later, despite having just a 1.8% chance to land the number one pick. — Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano)May 12, 2025 I believe in the legitimacy of the NBA draft lottery like I believe in Sasquatch, the tooth fairy, and Santa — Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman)May 12, 2025 I'll keep screaming it… the NBA needs to get rid of the draft lottery. It's terrible, random, unfair. Worst record should get top pick.If Sixers or Mavs get the top pick and rewarded for stupidity I'm gonna be sick and livid. — Adam Schein (@AdamSchein)May 12, 2025 I'm pretty close to the point of considering the NBA's new lottery odds a failure. It's just resulted in even more teams tanking, while also doing a worse job of accomplishing the primary goal of helping the worst teams get better. — Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA)May 12, 2025 This PROVES the Luka Doncic trade was an INSIDE job by the NBA- Forced the Mavericks to trade Luka Doncic so the Lakers had a future- Mavericks get the 1st overall pick to build around their next franchise starINSIDE JOB LOL — Joel Moran (@joelvmoran)May 12, 2025 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NBA draft lottery: Fans say rigged after Mavericks get No. 1 pick
