By Admin 
By Eric Koreen, Will Guillory, Mike Vorkunov and Zach Harper
CHICAGO — As NBA fans prepared for the ending to one of the most dramatic draft lotteries in recent memory, one of the people who most stood to benefit from the result was blissfully unaware of what was happening.
Dallas Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont was about to receive a welcome phone call.
“He wasn’t following it in real time. He was at his kid’s track meet,” Dallas Mavericks chief executive officer Rick Welts said after his team cashed in on its 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery, earning the chance to take Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. “(Former Mavericks owner) Mark Cuban called him to say, ‘Oh my God, we’re in the top four.’ (Later) Mark Cuban called him back and (said) … we won, but (Dumont) said Mark was screaming so loud he couldn’t tell exactly what Mark was saying.”
The Mavericks, of course, traded Luka Dončić in February, inciting some of the most vocal and persistent fan discontent in recent memory. Most of it was directed at general manager Nico Harrison. By losing in the Play-In Tournament, the Mavs assured themselves a spot in the lottery.
“Everyone, including Patrick, has been through a lot the past three months,” Welts said. “This is just such a moment of exhilaration, a breath of fresh air for the franchise. You really feel like we get a fresh start.”