If This Prediction By Kevin O'Connor Comes To Pass, One Western Conference Team Will Never Be The Same

It’s the job of NBA analysts to see into the future and lay out the many colorful scenarios that fans can look forward to. This past weekend, Kevin O’Connor looked into his crystal ball and saw an unlikely but extremely fascinating future for one struggling Western Conference franchise.

Over the past year or so, the narrative of the Dallas Mavericks has been worthy of a daytime telenovela, the equivalent of a basketball tragedy that is only starting to show glimpses of hope and redemption. With a single tweet, O’Connor projected a vision that somehow sees the Mavericks rising to glory.

“The Mavericks winning the lottery is easily one of the most entertaining outcomes. Pair Cooper Flagg with a co-star to grow with and become contenders to compete with OKC and San Antonio for many years to come,” O’Connor tweeted Sunday night.

There are a couple of continuing story arcs in this short bit of fan fiction. For one, the scenario of “the Mavericks winning the lottery” would be bizarre to say the least, as the lottery balls had favored them just 11 months ago. Despite having unimpressive odds, the Mavs walked away from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with the No. 1 pick, which they would use the following month to acquire the generational talent that is Cooper Flagg.

While the Rookie of the Year award is another story altogether, the consensus is that Flagg is as good as advertised. More importantly, the 19-year-old playmaker has an extremely high ceiling, making him the perfect piece for the Mavericks to build around for the next several years. 

What could be better than an undisputed building block for the future? Two building blocks, perhaps. 

In the upcoming 2026 draft class, there’s no shortage of “co-stars” who can help Flagg usher in a new era of Mavs basketball. Prospects like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Petersen, Cam Boozer, and Caleb Wilson would all look great playing alongside Flagg in Dallas.

Perhaps the most audacious part of O’Connor’s prediction is the final part: that the Mavs will “become contenders” if Flagg gets to team up with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. Seeing the Mavericks in the same light as the Thunder and the Spurs sounds ridiculous at this point, but these are two teams that became powerhouses in the West by cultivating young assets across multiple seasons.

Ultimately, the odds might not favor Dallas this time, and they’ll have to “settle” for a lower pick. Still, the phrase “never say never” continues to resonate in the NBA today. And no team knows that better than the Mavericks.