How does Champion Lance have a Dragonite that isn't supposed to be evolved?

Question

Evidence A:
In the Team Rocket building, when you double battle with him and two Team Rocket executives, he has a Level 40 Dragonite.

Evidence B:
When I battled him, he had a Level 48 Dragonite.

Evidence C:
After that, he sent out a Level 49 Dragonite.

Evidence D:
Next, his last (At least, I think it was his last) Pokemon was a....(Drum Roll)....A -Shocker!- Dragonite! Level -Shocker- 50! And on top of that, Dragonite isn't supposed to evolve until Level 55. So please explain, did they make it like that, and why? Is it possible for me to do it without hacking?

Comments

Level 55

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Similar to why you can find L.23 Gravellers on Route 45; they evolve only at Lv.25.
But why? Nobody knows.

Answer 1

It's because Dragonite is basically his signature Pokemon. They lowered their levels because then they would be too overpowered at that point in the storyline.

At Dragonspiral Tower, if you fish in the rippling water, you have a 1% chance of getting a Dragonite, which will be between Level 50 & 70.

P.S. Dragonite evolves at 55, not 53.