The lottery is not until May 10, but Dallas already knows what it needs. Here are four prospects that could end up next to Cooper Flagg for years to come.
While the NBA Play-In Tournament tips off tonight for the rest of the league, the Dallas Mavericks are already focused on May 10.
That is when the draft lottery takes place and it represents the most important date on the calendar for a franchise trying to build around Cooper Flagg.
This pick matters more than most. It is the last first-round pick Dallas owns outright until 2031. Right now, the Mavericks are tied with the Atlanta Hawks, via the New Orleans Pelicans, for the No. 7 spot. A coin flip on a later date will determine who finishes higher between them, with Dallas carrying 7.5 percent odds at the No. 7 slot and 6.0 percent at No. 8.
Here are four prospects worth watching closely - as they figure to be in that 7/8 range - before that lottery ball drops.
Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville
Brown averaged 18.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 21 games for the Cardinals before a lower back injury ended his season early. The 6-foot-5 freshman is a dynamic shot creator with an unstoppable pull-up jumper and the playmaking vision to run an offense at the next level. ESPN's Jeremy Woo projects him as the seventh overall pick. His ceiling is a legitimate No. 1 option, a scoring guard who can also facilitate. He would give Flagg a legitimate backcourt partner for years to come. The back injury is the one thing teams will need to investigate before committing to a top-10 pick.
Yaxel Lendeborg, PF, Michigan
The national champion averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on 52-37-84 shooting splits. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Lendeborg plays like a connector. He does not need the ball to be effective, moves the ball quickly and guards multiple positions with his length and motor. Bleacher Report compared him to Aaron Gordon, projecting him as a versatile glue-guy who can complement better creators and shooters.
Nate Ament, SF, Tennessee
The 6-foot-10 freshman averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the Vols and is projected as the No. 8 overall prospect by ESPN's Jeremy Woo. Ament is a big wing who operates as a three-level scorer, rising over defenders with a high release point and solid touch from the midrange and perimeter. He runs the floor well, handles the ball for his size and shows enough passing feel to play as a secondary creator. His ceiling is a versatile, high-usage wing scorer who can defend multiple positions as his body fills out. His age, 19, fits the timeline Dallas is building toward, but his shooting consistency will be the swing skill that determines where he ultimately lands.
Labaron Philon Jr., PG, Alabama
Philon averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from three. He is a crafty, pace-setting guard who thrives in pick-and-roll situations, collapsing defenses with his handle and making clean reads out of ball screens. He returned to school after testing the 2025 draft waters and answered every question scouts had. One scouting report specifically listed Dallas as a strong fit, noting the Mavericks have a long-term opening next to Flagg and the ability to develop a guard under Kyrie Irving.