ESPN senior writer Dr. André Snellings explains why every fantasy basketball manager should plan their perfect draft before the first pick. He recommends mapping out who you would take at your draft slot and comparing your next picks against player rankings. Doing so gives you a clearer idea of your goals, while most rivals in your league will simply hope for the best.
Snellings also recommends running mock drafts before real ones. Mock drafts reveal whether your sleeper picks will still be available or whether others have already caught on, and they often show strong players sliding lower than their rankings suggest. Average draft position (ADP) data helps estimate which value will be available throughout your draft.
In the first round, Snellings is clear about his top choice in points leagues: Nikola Jokic (ADP 1.5). Jokic has been the top fantasy scorer for six straight seasons and is projected to outscore second place by more than 500 fantasy points. In category leagues, he sees a real debate between Jokic and Victor Wembanyama (ADP 3.1), whose league-leading shot-blocking carries significant value.
For the middle and late first round, Snellings highlights Giannis Antetokounmpo (ADP 5.7), Jalen Johnson (ADP 8.7) and Jayson Tatum (ADP 9.2), noting health questions surrounding Tatum's first full season back from an Achilles tear. Snellings notes that Giannis and Johnson are stronger in points leagues than category formats.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing