Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd addressed the franchise’s offseason direction during a wide-ranging interview on The Dan Patrick Show following the team’s 2025 NBA Draft Lottery win.
Kidd described where he was when the Mavericks secured the top pick.
“I was in Newport Beach at a board meeting for Go Rentals,” Kidd said. “I thought, ‘Okay, we’re going to probably fall backwards instead of going forward.’ My phone started to go crazy during the meeting.”
Kidd said he initially thought the team had stayed at pick No. 11, until a message clarified otherwise.
“He goes, ‘You’re in the top four.’ And I mean 14,” Kidd recalled. “Then he goes, ‘I think you just got one.’ I go, ‘You mean we stayed at 11?’ And then my phone started going crazy.”
Kidd confirmed the Mavericks intend to keep the top pick, with Duke freshman Cooper Flagg widely expected to be the selection.
“I’m just the coach. So yes, I would say that we’re all concentrating on number one,” Kidd said. “The draft is deep… but as the name you just brought up—I think we’re all focused on.”
The coach emphasized that he hasn’t contacted Flagg yet, out of caution with league rules.
“I have not spoken to Cooper Flagg. I don’t want to break any of the rules and get us in trouble,” Kidd added. “We’re excited about the kid at Duke.”
Dallas, which fell short in the Play-In against Memphis, will add a high-upside 18-year-old to a roster that includes veterans Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Max Christie, acquired in the midseason trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers.
Kidd reflected on the moment he learned about the franchise-altering deal.
“I was told by my boss, Nico, that we were going to make a change,” Kidd recalled. “I went back to my room to start figuring out how we’re going to use AD and Christie.”
He said he texted Doncic the morning the news broke, adding, “I don’t think he was too happy… But I loved the opportunity of coaching Luka.”
Kidd acknowledged that Flagg won’t face the same pressure in Dallas that he might have elsewhere.
“This is a great situation for him,” Kidd said. “The pressure of living up to number one will be a lot easier with the talent around him… we are playing for a championship, and so it will be a lot of fun.”
The 52-year-old also gave insight into the emotional toll of the 2024–25 season, citing injuries, trades, and a rollercoaster team trajectory.
“There was a season within a season. Maybe three seasons,” Kidd said. “Just everything that took place—I think there is a book there and probably a 30 for 30.”
Looking ahead, Kidd stressed the importance of veteran leadership for Flagg’s development.
“He’s young but very talented,” Kidd said. “Kai, AD, Klay… can definitely help him with the process of going through a rookie season.”
Kidd also named John Stockton as the best passer of all time, credited Isaiah Thomas’ underrated handle, and looked back on his first matchup with Michael Jordan.
But the focus in Dallas now centers on integrating the “kid from Duke” into a team aiming for contention in the post-Doncic era.
The dramatic shift in the Mavericks’ roster has created significant movement in NBA futures markets worldwide. For basketball fans looking to register at a bookmaker ahead of the draft, odds on Dallas’ championship chances and Flagg’s Rookie of the Year prospects have shown considerable variance.
Japanese sportsbooks have displayed particular interest in these developments, with many offering specialized markets on how Flagg will perform in his first games against Doncic’s Lakers.
Japan’s growing basketball fanbase, energized by their national team’s recent international success, has increasingly engaged with NBA betting markets, especially those involving high-profile rookies and major trades. Several betting platforms in Japan now feature custom props on Flagg’s potential impact and whether the Mavericks’ bold moves will ultimately pay off in the long term.
