Image Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

How Many Cities With an NBA and WNBA Team Have Won the Draft Lottery in the Same Year?

In the Draft Lottery, numbers don’t tell the whole story, sometimes, fate just plays favorites.

Image Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

The 2025 Draft Lottery surprised many as the Dallas Mavericks out of nowhere won the first pick. The Mavericks had only a 1.8 percent chance of getting the coveted number one pick while other NBA teams who struggled more like Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors had a higher chance.

However, destiny had other plans for the Mavericks, who have had a surreal season of ups and downs. After back-to-back blows, Nico Harrison and his franchise have a silver lining to get hold of the next big thing in the world of pro basketball.

Dallas franchises from the basketball landscape this year have been blessed with luck. Both Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Wings (WNBA) have had the luxury of winning the first draft pick for the draft event. Dallas Wings went on to pick Paige Bueckers who is an emerging star and a possible face of the league in the future.

THE DALLAS MAVERICKS HAVE WON THE #NBADraftLottery 👏

They hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 #NBADraft! pic.twitter.com/yndg2t854A
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 12, 2025

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The odds of teams from the same cities getting the number one draft pick are exceedingly low. They are very unusual, with odds always stacked against. The percentage of Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Wings both getting the number one picks was just 0.82%. Despite the number, Dallas franchises from the NBA and WNBA were both awarded with an opportunity to change their trajectory.

How Many Cities With an NBA and WNBA Team Have Won First Pick in Draft Lottery in Same Year?

The Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Wings were only the second set of teams to win the first pick in the Draft Lottery in the same year. The rarity of the feat is understood well, as only one city has achieved the mark before. Cleveland, who has had a rich sporting history were also blessed with such a unique record.

The Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003 won the draft lottery pick. They went on to pick LeBron James with the number one draft pick. The move not only changed the fate of the Cavaliers but also the NBA. In the same year, Cleveland Rockers from the WNBA also won the first draft pick.

They selected LaToya Thomas from Mississippi State University. However, the youngster was not given long enough to change the fate of the Rockers. The WNBA franchise was disbanded due to financial losses. The odds of the teams from the same city getting the number 1 draft pick in the same year are still quite low, but if anything, history suggests that a mere number cannot rule out the most unusual things from happening.

From astronomical odds to history-defining moments, discover how rare it is for one city to sweep both the NBA and WNBA Draft Lottery in the same year.