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Rick Welts was there in 1985 when the lottery was born. And he was there for a Dallas win Monday

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AP Spotlight

Rick Welts was there in 1985 when the lottery was born. And he was there for a Dallas win Monday

TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025 Updated Aug 18, 2025

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CHICAGO — Rick Welts was there, 40 years to the date earlier, when the NBA draft lottery got started. He worked for the league then and was in the room when that first one took place.

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NBA Draft Lottery Basketball — Duke's Cooper Flagg walks back to his seat after he was interviewed by ESPN after the Dallas Mavericks won the first pick in the NBA basketball draft lottery in Chicago, May 12.
Nam Y. Huh, Associated Press

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Raptors Mavericks Basketball — Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts, center left, and team Governor Patrick Dumont, center right applauding, watch the team play against the Toronto Raptors in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, April 11.
LM Otero, Associated Press

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NBA Draft Lottery Basketball — Dallas Mavericks' Rolando Blackman, left, and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, right, pose for photos after Tatum announced that the Mavericks had won the first pick in the NBA basketball draft lottery in Chicago, May 12.
Nam Y. Huh, Associated Press

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NBA marks 40th birthday of the draft lottery as teams hope for good luck

NBA marks 40th birthday of the draft lottery as teams hope for good luck

NOAH TRISTER Associated Press

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Duke freshman Cooper Flagg declares for NBA draft, becomes favorite to go No. 1

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