The Mavericks slide to No. 9 after last year’s lottery miracle
A year after the “Miracle of May 12th”, when Dallas defied a 1. 8% chance to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Mavericks will pick ninth in the 2026 NBA Draft, one spot lower than their pre-lottery position of eighth.
Dallas had a 29% chance to move into the top four and a 6. 7% chance to select No. 1 for the second consecutive season.
Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz told reporters at the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago that he is confident Dallas will still select a rotation player at No. 9. “I think we want someone who can bring a variety of different skills and bring a mentality that we’re looking for,” Schmitz said .
“But we’re really confident we can get a rotation-level player and we’re gonna do everything we can. ” Schmitz also said the Mavericks have not narrowed down a position they want to target. “I think we’re looking for someone who can fit our culture, have an impact at a high level for many years to come, and I think that’s the beauty of this class,” Schmitz said.
“It’s very deep, there’s a wide variety of players at different positions that bring different skill sets and so we’re gonna bring those guys in and really vet the market and get a really good player. ” Fortunately for the Mavericks, they selected Cooper Flagg , who won Rookie of the Year, with the No. 1 pick last season.