The first four Draft Picks for the 2025 NBA have been confirmed! The lotto balls have spoken. This year, the Dallas Mavericks got the number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. And after they abruptly traded away Luka Doncic at the start of February, this is a lifeline for them. But,  if the timing seems suspect, or at the least too convenient, you’re not the only one. Earlier this year, LeBron James warned fans about the NBA Draft Lottery. And his reaction to this year’s result only seemed to add fuel to this fire as fans put two and two together.

Back in March, LeBron James made an appearance on the Pat McAfee show. On it, he hinted at the NBA Draft lottery being rigged. “Listen, man, during the ball drop in the lottery, Cleveland got the number one pick? What a coincidence. Let’s keep LeBron home. Patrick Ewing to the Knicks. Derrick Rose to the Bulls. I understand the assignment, guys,” said James. Of course, coming at the height of his feud with Stephen A. Smith, not many took notice. But this year’s lottery is raising some serious eyebrows.

You see, this year, the Mavs won the NBA Draft Lottery with 1.8% odds — the 4th-lowest since the Draft was set up all the way back in 1985. And with this win, Nico Harrison has a second chance to save face and save his franchise. It’s a chance to win back the Dallas fans by drafting Duke sensation, Cooper Flagg.

But them getting this chance means the real bottom-of-the-barrel teams this year — the Hornets, the Wizards, the Jazz…They get nothing! In fact, none of this year’s bottom two seeds across both conferences got the top 3 picks this year. You see, Flagg could have gone to the Hornets, the Jazz, or even the Wizards. But instead, he went to the team that has both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.

This will make them legitimate contenders in the West in the upcoming season. And judging from LeBron James’ reaction, he knows this.

LeBron James reacts to the Mavs receiving the first pick in the 2025 Draft

The Western Conference has been filled with killers for quite a while now. LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are just some of the MVP-caliber talent that play in the West. And now, this murderer’s row of a Conference just got tougher. Cooper Flagg promises to be an injection of talent into the league, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Wemby made his way to the NBA.

And LeBron James clearly knows this. His reaction was really telling — even if he used no words. “🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣,” LeBron James wrote on X. It seems LeBron is amused by the prospect of having to contend with Flagg from next year on. And it’s not hard to see why.

Had Flagg gone to one of the teams we mentioned earlier, like the Jazz or the Hornets, he’d still be 2-3 years away from competing for a title. And LeBron? He’d be happily retired. But now, by the time Flagg gets to Dallas, Kyrie Irving will most likely be healthy. And a big 3 of Irving, AD, and Flagg is a daunting prospect for everyone in the league. Yes, even the 40-year-old GOAT.

Nonetheless, Flagg joining a team with title aspirations also signals something bigger. LeBron James now has another young star that he can pass the torch to once he calls it a day in the league. And if you know anything about the Blue Devils’ star, it’s that he’ll probably relish the challenge should it come his way!