A simple coin flip was the difference between Dallas or Chicago having the #1 pick

The 2025 NBA draft lottery happened in Chicago, Illinois, on Monday, May 12. Entering the draft lottery, the Dallas Mavericks had a 1.8% chance to win.

Dallas and Chicago finished with identical regular-season records (39-43). A coin flip between the two determined their odds for the 2025 draft lottery. The Mavs won the coin flip and had a 1.8% chance to win. Chicago had a 1.7% chance of winning the draft lottery. Shockingly, the Mavericks won the draft lottery on Monday. If the Bulls had won the coin flip, they would have had the #1 pick in June. Just a brutal beat for Chicago.

Chicago lost the chance at the #1 pick because they lost a coin flip

A coin flip away from Cooper Flagg… pic.twitter.com/7wfN3yaIxp

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) May 13, 2025

With any type of lottery, luck is always involved. Little did the Mavericks know just how lucky they were in the 2025 NBA draft lottery. Dallas and Chicago both finished with a 39-43 record this past season. To determine their chance to win the draft lottery, a simple coin flip was conducted. The Mavs won the coin toss and a 1.8% chance at the #1 overall pick. Chicago received a 1.7% chance to win.

However, that 0.1% was the difference between the 12th and first overall pick on Monday. Dallas won the 2025 NBA draft lottery for the first time in franchise history. The Bulls ended up with the 12th pick in June’s NBA draft. A devastating blow for the Bulls, who are desperately trying to take a step forward as a franchise. Adding a player like Cooper Flagg would have helped.

Now, the Mavs will get to draft consensus #1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. The Chicago Bulls do not. Team insiders said Chicago’s front office got exactly what they deserved. Instead of trying to tank for a top pick, the Bulls were fully invested in trying to make the playoffs through the play-in. That plan backfired, and they have the 12th pick in the 2025 NBA draft instead of the first overall pick. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisova made it clear the idea of tanking is not in his DNA. Chicago will hope to find a franchise-changing player at #12 after having a chance at the #1 pick.