While the basketball world buzzed with disbelief after the Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with just a 1.8% chance, one high-profile fan was nothing short of thrilled – Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes, a longtime Mavericks supporter who grew up in East Texas and starred at Texas Tech, has followed the franchise closely for years.
He was notably disheartened when the team dealt away superstar Luka Doncic in early February – a move that sent shockwaves through the fanbase.
“I’ve watched Luka since he was 18 years old,” Mahomes prevously said. “I remember going to a practice and it was Dirk [Nowitzki] and Luka, and seeing his maturation and how great of a basketball player he’s become, it’s been fun to watch. As a Dallas fan, it hurts me.”
The Mavericks’ season only spiraled further after the trade. Kyrie Irving’s late-season injury and a disappointing exit in the NBA Play-In Tournament capped off a turbulent year, leaving fans with little to celebrate – until now.
Shockingly, Dallas defied the odds and landed the No. 1 overall pick, positioning the team to draft Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, the consensus top player in the 2025 class.
Needless to say, Mahomes wasted no time expressing his excitement. “OMGGGGG!! Let’s goo!!!!!” Mahomes posted on X, followed by a second post that read “GOOO @dallasmavs.”
But not everyone was celebrating.
Shortly after Mahomes’ post, Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu chimed in to rain on his quarterback’s parade.
“Pat you know this was rigged right ? @PatrickMahomes,” Omenihu posted.
While the remark appeared tongue-in-cheek, it echoed a sentiment many fans shared online – skepticism over how a team with less than a 2% chance secured the top pick.
Conspiracy theories about the lottery being rigged are nothing new in the NBA, especially when major market or storyline-driven teams benefit.
Unsurprisingly, conspiracy theorists set social media on fire with their takes on the shocking lottery development…
“Damn, they really rigged it to give the Mavs Cooper Flagg in exchange for putting Luka in their biggest market. That’s wild.”
“Nico, go ahead and trade Luka to LA. I’ll make sure you guys get the No. 1 pick this summer.”
“THIS IS RIGGED.”
“What did it cost for the Mavericks to finally move up in the draft lottery?”
“Most rigged event in television history.”
“Great day for NBA conspiracy theory crowd. Do us a solid, trade Luka to Lakers to help ratings & we’ll gift wrap top pick.”
“I have so many conspiracy theories about the NBA right now.”
“Make it make sense.”
Still, even if Omenihu and the conspiracy theorists are correct, it’s unlikely Mahomes would care.
With Cooper Flagg widely projected to be a generational talent, Mahomes is more focused on the Mavericks’ future than internet speculation.
The 18-year-old Flagg dominated his lone season at Duke. He swept the major college awards, earning National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Rookie of the Year honors, among others.
His anticipated arrival in Dallas could mark the beginning of a new era – and for Mahomes, it’s a glimmer of hope after a year of heartbreak.
What are your thoughts on the Mavs landing the top pick in the draft? … Do you think the lottery was indeed rigged???
