The Dallas Mavericks have had a tumultuous history with the NBA draft lottery, marked by a series of unfortunate outcomes. The team’s only notable draft lottery success came in 1981, when they won a coin toss against Detroit for the No. 1 overall pick, which they used to select Mark Aguirre. However, their draft fortunes have largely been disappointing, with 16 appearances in the lottery since its introduction in 1985, often resulting in worse picks than their records suggested.

For instance, in 1986, despite having a chance at the No. 1 pick, they ended up selecting seventh, leading to years of frustration with players like Roy Tarpley. This trend continued through the years, with missed opportunities on stars like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki. A more recent low point was in 2019 when the Mavericks had to convey their pick to Atlanta as part of the Luka Doncic trade deal. The team's struggle with the lottery has raised questions about their drafting strategy and its impact on building a championship-caliber roster.