CHICAGO — Hell didn’t freeze over for a second time.
The Dallas Mavericks had a 6.7% chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick two years in a row, but that privilege went to the Washington Wizards.
The Mavericks dropped one spot in Sunday’s draft lottery and earned the ninth pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
The Wizards were awarded the first pick, followed by the Utah Jazz at second, Memphis at third and Chicago, who jumped five places to fourth.
The Mavericks finished in a tie with New Orleans for the seventh-worst record in the NBA (thanks to three wins in their last nine games) and lost a tiebreaker to the Pelicans. They entered with the eighth-best odds, holding a 29% chance of picking in the top four and a 6.7% chance of landing the No. 1 pick. They had 32.9% chance of standing pat at eighth and a 31.1% chance of dropping to No. 9.
The NBA draft lottery sets the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2026 NBA draft. The drawing determines the first four picks, with the remaining lottery teams selecting in positions five through 14 in inverse order of the 2025-26 regular season records.
Sunday’s lottery continues a normal trend for the Mavericks, who dropped in the standings for the eighth year. The only time they moved up was last year when they jumped 10 spots from 11th to secure the No. 1 pick and the right to draft Rookie of the Year forward Cooper Flagg.
This is the fifth time in franchise history that the Mavericks will select ninth overall in the NBA draft first time the franchise will select in the top 10 in consecutive years since 2017 and 2018. Dennis Smith Jr. was the franchise’s selection in 2017. Dallas also selected Samaki Walker ninth overall in 1996. Dale Ellis was the ninth pick in 1983 and Blackman was the team’s selection in 1981.
This draft class features four prospects widely considered to be a tier above the rest of the pack: BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward/center Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward/center Caleb Wilson.
Dybantsa entered Sunday’s lottery considered the slight front-runner to go No. 1, with any combination of Peterson, Boozer and Wilson likely to follow.
The Mavericks figure to look for help at the guard position, and there are several prospects who could be available around Dallas’ No. 9 spot, including Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Brayden Burries and perhaps, Keaton Wagler if he falls that low.
Lightning didn’t strike in the same place twice, but the Mavericks will use their new lottery pick to add to their versatile core, headlined by Flagg.