Power Rankings

The 2024-25 champ is back after a year he would rather forget, and he came out swinging. Wemby at 3 is as easy as it gets, and pairing him with Sengun gives Brian two nightly double-double threats in the frontcourt. Brian then went right back to the strategy that won him a title, solidifying consistent guards. Harden, Garland, NAW, Fox and FVV can all give you 40-50 on any given night. Sengun at 22 OVR was a snipe, and Randle on a Nets team with nobody else to shoot is sneaky. The late rounds are where this draft really shines though. DeRozan in the 12th is robbery, and Vucevic in the 10th is a proven double-double guy, even if it was a little early. However, this team is thin at the forward spots, FVV is coming off a full year out, and Garland and PG both missed a lot of time last year. But I have learned my lesson doubting Brian. Expect a bounce back year.

Favorite Pick: DeMar DeRozan, 12.142 — 32 picks after his ADP (UD). Robbery.

Wtf we doin pick: Quentin Grimes, 11.123 — 22 picks ahead of his ADP (UD), and he's not starting in LA.

The defending champ, with more resources than anyone else in the league, landed the 1st overall pick and took Jokic. That alone makes this a playoff team. Mack has now won 2 of the last 3, and with Jokic on the roster that should scare everyone. However, outside of Jokic this team reads like a medical chart. AD played 20 games last year, J-Dub dealt with hamstring issues all year, Dejounte is coming off the Achilles, and JJJ had knee surgery in January. If 3 of those 4 stay healthy, the 2-peat is very real. KD is as consistent as they come, JJJ at 72 OVR was a great value pick, and LaVine in the 13th is a nice value pick too. Kessler at 49 went right at his ADP (UD), and he is Luka's hand picked big in LA, so he should be a nightly double-double threat if healthy. Egor at 96 was a reach. Mack beat me in the final, so I am contractually obligated to not give him an A. He'll be fine. He always is.

Favorite Pick: Kevin Durant, 3.25 — Old, boring, and exactly what this roster needs.

Wtf we doin pick: Egor Demin, 8.96 — 40 picks ahead of his ADP (UD).

Breaking news: really good fantasy basketball player drafted another really good team. The Juggernaut stayed true to his year to year strategy of targeting high double-double centers, with KAT and Gobert anchoring the frontcourt. Tatum at 8 is the swing, but he looked like himself when he came back from the Achilles, and when healthy he is a top 10 fantasy player. Jamal Murray at 41 OVR was great value, Suggs in the 13th was a snipe, and Reaves at 32 should have his biggest year yet with LeBron gone. Josh Hart is still sadly a league winner. However, there is a lot of the same guard here with Reaves, Murray, Pritchard, Quickley and Suggs, and the end of the roster gets weird. Diabate just lost his starting job to Naz Reid. None of that matters. Elan has never had any issues adapting, and he will churn those last few spots like he has for a decade. Expect another dominant year from E.

Favorite Pick: Jamal Murray, 4.41 — Top 30 production at a 4th round price.

Wtf we doin pick: Moussa Diabate, 12.137 — Charlotte just traded for Naz Reid to start at center.

Frank named his team after the guy who won it all, which is a bold move coming off a last place finish. Respect. The draft itself was actually very solid. Luka at 2 is the reigning scoring champ and a nightly triple-double threat, and with the hamstring cleared he is the safest pick outside of Jokic. Booker and Deni at the 2/3 turn is a strong combo, and Deni has gotten better every single year. Keyonte George should have the ball a ton on a young Jazz team, and P.J. Washington in the 13th was a great value pick. Porzingis in the 12th is a fine flyer if he stays healthy. However, Zion and Derik Queen play the same spot on the same team, and Zion still hasn't found his 3 point shot. Bane at 47 was a reach, and Reed Sheppard at 95 was an even bigger one. He doesn't have a clear path to minutes with FVV back. Like I said last year, don't be surprised if Torta makes some noise. If Luka plays 70 games, this is a playoff team.

Favorite Pick: P.J. Washington, 13.146 — 21 picks after his ADP (UD).

Wtf we doin pick: Reed Sheppard, 8.95 — 39 picks ahead of his ADP (UD), with FVV back.

BIG NIK, now featuring zero Nikolas. Jokic is on Mack's team, and Tony had to start at pick 12. However, Tony drafted really well from the worst spot in the draft. Mitchell and Trae at the turn were both a little early, but Jaylen Brown at 37 and Brandon Miller at 61 were two of the best value picks of the draft. Trae is the swing. He only played 15 games last year, but he is cleared and has a new $212M contract in Washington to prove. Okongwu should be a consistent double-double threat, Miller is primed for a breakout, and CJ McCollum is a solid value pick in the 10th. However, Ja is a coin flip on a new team, Myles Turner may lose minutes to Kel'el Ware, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser in the 11th is a classic Tony draft night special. This is the most Tony team ever, again, and I expect at least 1 major upset as we usually see from Tony.

Favorite Pick: Jaylen Brown, 4.37 — ADP (UD) of 20, and he went 37th. Steal.

Wtf we doin pick: Yanic Konan Niederhauser, 11.133 — 58 picks ahead of his ADP (UD), and already OUT.

First off, the team name. The Mack vs. Jimmy final was not rigged, and it's a new year anyway. Second, Embiid is back on Penn's team for the 2nd time in 3 years, and the "14 missed games guaranteed" line from 2024 still applies. Maybe more than 14 now. That being said, this is a very solid draft. SGA at 6 is a cheat code, and Giddey at 19 is a nightly triple-double threat who has gotten better every single year. Siakam is as consistent as they come, and Embiid at 67 OVR is a value pick if he plays. However, Penn reached a lot. MPJ at 43 and Naz Reid at 54 both went well before their ADP (UD), and Gillespie and Champagnie went way before theirs. Nurkic is already OUT, and Ayton in the last round is a flyer. If Embiid gives him 50 games, this is a playoff team.

Favorite Pick: Josh Giddey, 2.19 — Nightly triple-double threat at 19 OVR.

Wtf we doin pick: Naz Reid, 5.54 — Taken ahead of guys who will easily outproduce him.

Joni got an A- from me last year, so take this one with a grain of salt. Cade at 7 is one of the best picks of the first round, and Sabonis at 18 is a great pick. Before the meniscus, Sabonis was a proven fantasy hero. When healthy, this is the best 1-2 in the draft not named Jokic. However, health is the theme of this roster. Curry, Lauri, Herro, Jalen Green, Edey and Butler all missed significant time last year, and Butler won't be back until January at the earliest (owning Jimmy always hurt Butler). Joni also reached on some veterans, with Curry, Lauri and Herro all going about a round early, and Nembhard at 114 way before he should have. Duncan Robinson in the 11th was the biggest reach of the draft (ADP (UD) of 192). Buzelis at 66 was a great value pick though. It's not the 9 shooting guard team from 2024, but Curry, Herro, Green, Nembhard and Duncan Robinson is close. Joni needs Cade and Sabonis to play 70 games each. Should be a playoff team if Joni keeps utilizing his 6-9 hour advantage on the waiver wire.

Favorite Pick: Domantas Sabonis, 2.18 — Healthy, starting, and a proven fantasy hero.

Wtf we doin pick: Andrew Nembhard, 10.114 — 34 picks ahead of his ADP (UD).

Year 3 for Hanning, and this draft has a clear identity: wings and guards. Scottie and Maxey at the 1/2 turn is a strong start, and both should be consistent 60 a night guys. Anthony Black in the 13th is a great late pick. He was primed for a breakout last year before injuries derailed his season. However, Ben reached a lot in the middle rounds. Derrick White, Jarrett Allen and Mikal all went 15+ picks before their ADP (UD), and Poeltl at 110 was one of the biggest reaches of the draft (ADP (UD) of 173). Chet at 35 went right at his ADP (UD), but like I said last year when he was on Aibel's team, Chet may not see 30+ minutes a game. Coby White, McDaniels and Wiggins are all consistent 35-45 guys, but there is not much boom outside of Maxey and Scottie. Expect this team to be in the playoff mix if Hanning is active with his lineup and add/drops.

Favorite Pick: Anthony Black, 13.155 — Healthy now, and primed for a breakout.

Wtf we doin pick: Jakob Poeltl, 10.110 — ADP (UD) of 173. One of the biggest reaches of the draft.

I strayed away from my usual strategy and went young. Maybe too young. Giannis at 4 is Giannis, even in Miami, but he only played 36 games last year. I also took Bam in the 3rd, which means my two best bigs are now on the same team fighting for the same rebounds. Not ideal. Amen and Castle should both be consistent, and Ausar at 100 OVR was a snipe. Ace Bailey in the 12th and Tobias Harris in the 14th were both great late round picks. However, the rookies. Boozer and Dybantsa both went after their ADP (UD), but I am still counting on two rookies to be starters. Mitchell Robinson in the 11th was way too early. If two of the rookies hit, this team is scary. If not, I'll probably drop someone I shouldn't way too early on.

Favorite Pick: Ausar Thompson, 9.100 — 31 picks after his ADP (UD).

Wtf we doin pick: Mitchell Robinson, 11.124 — 60 picks ahead of his ADP (UD).

I gave Aibel a C last year and he finished 4th, so keep that in mind with this grade. First off, MPJEW does not have MPJ (Penn does). However, it does have LaMelo, and Duren at 33 OVR, who should be a nightly double-double threat. The problem is Flagg at 9. He had a great rookie year, but he needs a big year 2 jump to justify a top 10 pick. LaMelo at 16 was a little early, and Norman Powell at 81 was a reach. However, Aibel's mid-late round success continued. Zubac at 64 should be a consistent double-double guy in Indiana, Dame at 88 is a free swing in the 8th coming off the Achilles, and Coward and Morez Johnson Jr. both went well after their ADP (UD). KPJ is back too. Last year I called him "always suspect (literally and figuratively)." Still true. As always, Aibel will add/drop his way into chaos, and he has proven that can work. Hope I am wrong again.

Favorite Pick: Cedric Coward, 10.112 — 18 picks after his ADP (UD), and he should start.

Wtf we doin pick: Norman Powell, 7.81 — 26 picks ahead of his ADP (UD).

Last year I gave Simon a D+ and said this team was 3 toothpicks away from being 0-17. He made the playoffs. I have learned to stop doubting Simon. Jalen Johnson at 5 is the best pick of the first round, and he was Elan's steal of the draft 2 years ago. Haliburton at 20 is the big swing. He's back from the Achilles but already tweaked his ankle in preseason. If he's Hali again, this team could get very scary very fast. Paolo at 29 was great value, and Clingan at 44 went right at his ADP (UD) and should be a nightly double-double threat. However, the rest of this team is young guys and question marks. Caleb Wilson, Darius Acuff, Kel'el Ware and Maluach are all boom or bust, and Ingram is already OUT. And Ben Simmons in the 13th, 40 picks ahead of his ADP (UD)? Why do I feel like I'm looking at a failed NBA 2K MyGM franchise again? This team will look nothing like this by December, and that's probably a good thing.

Favorite Pick: Jalen Johnson, 1.5 — Best pick of the first round.

Wtf we doin pick: Ben Simmons, 13.149 — 40 picks ahead of his ADP (UD).

Kalk In My Butler, featuring zero Kalks and zero Butlers. Boot's top 4 picks are great. Ant, Brunson, Kawhi and LeBron are all proven fantasy producers. However, that is a lot of old guys. LeBron turns 42 in December and is now the 4th or 5th option in Philly, Kawhi is in Toronto now, and Kyrie hasn't played since March 2025. VJ Edgecombe at 87 is a solid pick. Then Boot remembered who he is. Ty Jerome at 58 was a reach for a guy who played 15 games last year, Dylan Harper is stuck behind Fox and Castle, and then it's Lendeborg, Day'Ron Sharpe, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ajay Mitchell, Keaton Wagler and Scoot. In 2024 I wrote that Boot has a "hyperfixation on young guys no one has heard of." Still true. To be fair, Underdog likes them more than I do, and most of them went after their ADP (UD). Great league member, questionable team owner.

Favorite Pick: Kyrie Irving, 6.63 — 13 picks after his ADP (UD). If he is even 85% of himself, this is a steal.

Wtf we doin pick: Ty Jerome, 5.58 — 37 picks ahead of his ADP (UD), and he played 15 games last year.