Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green issued a stark warning to NBA franchises after the Dallas Mavericks pulled off a stunning upset in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Defying just a 1.8% chance, Dallas secured the No. 1 overall pick, a remarkable result that challenges teams considering tanking as a strategy to improve their draft position.
The Mavericks are now poised to select Duke standout Cooper Flagg, who is widely regarded as one of the most promising prospects in recent years. Dallas’s leap from the 10th slot to the top pick marks one of the most improbable lottery outcomes in recent NBA history.
Draymond Green Critiques Tanking Following Mavericks’ Lottery Surprise
On the latest episode of
The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,
Green openly addressed the Mavericks’ unexpected lottery victory and its implications for tanking strategies. When asked about the message this sends to teams deliberately losing games, Green was unequivocal in his response.
That shit don’t work anyway. Anytime you trying to lose, that ain’t never worked in your favor. Stop,
Green said during the podcast, emphasizing the futility of relying on losing deliberately to gain an advantage in the draft.
The Mavericks’ jump to the top pick left favored teams like the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, both with 14% odds, without a top selection. Neither team made it into the top four picks, underscoring how unpredictable the lottery can be despite statistical chances.
Green singled out Dallas’s peculiar situation, especially their midseason trade of star Luka Dončić, which many analysts criticized. The lottery win, however, altered the narrative by offering the Mavericks a chance to rebuild around one of the draft’s brightest talents.
Implications for the NBA’s Draft and Future Team Strategies
Green’s stance on tanking aligns with comments from Warriors owner Joe Lacob, who told ESPN,
You don’t get better by trying to lose. Our entire organization is about winning. And we will win. Some bumps in the road, perhaps. But we will never accept losing.
As the NBA prepares for a draft headlined by Cooper Flagg—a freshman at Duke averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game—his accolades include ACC Freshman of the Year honors and comparisons to LeBron James’s legendary 2003 draft class.
The Mavericks finished the season 39-43, ranking 10th in the Western Conference after trading Dončić. Their improbable lottery success now offers a rare opportunity to add a transformative player who could reshape their future trajectory.
Green’s remarks were aimed broadly at discouraging any team from misinterpreting Dallas’s luck as evidence that tanking is a viable strategy. He stressed that purposely losing games does not ensure success in such an unpredictable system, reinforcing a call for teams to focus on competing rather than losing.