Fantasy Basketball Draft Lessons: Top takeaways from the NBA High Score Creator League

The NBA season suggestions off next week, and I just wrapped a 14-team draft for the NBA High Score Creator League, with 13 of the Association’s prime creators. Shoutout to Ben of NBA Recap Pod for taking the crown last yr, but it’s a new season, with new entrants and more competitors.

If you’re new to High Score, I have a 101 for you, but here’s the fast model: you draft 10 gamers and begin six of them (G, G, FC, FC, FC, Util), and only each starter’s best recreation of the week counts toward your rating. Scoring is 1 level per level and rebound, 2 per help and 3 per steal and block. Turnovers do not depend at all. We randomized the draft order before the begin (trust me, I hardly ever get the No. 1 choose).

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Here are my takeaways from the draft and what it means for those approaching draft weekend.

All rankings referenced below are my High Score rankings, and ADP is Yahoo’s as of Oct. 15.

Round 1

The first spherical was about as clean as it gets. The first 12 picks were the same 12 gamers at the prime of my High Score board, just in a barely totally different order. Seeing Luka go third total could be a refined worth grab in this format, as only he and Nikola Jokić averaged more than 60 fantasy factors per recreation (FPPG) last season. Cooper Flagg at No. 9 stood out as a choose that makes even more sense in this format than in others. His best recreation each week averaged 31% more fantasy factors than his typical recreation as a rookie last season, the largest hole of any first-round choose. The manner Flagg’s regarded in the preseason, the utilization and manufacturing could push his worth to that of a mid-first rather than a late-first rounder.

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My choose: Nikola Jokić at No. 1 was an straightforward call. He averaged 68.6 FPPG last season, the highest in the recreation. Assists depend double in this format, and his 9.8 projected assists alone are value nearly 20 factors a night time. Jokić will constantly push for 70-point fantasy outings this season and should be the best choice in High Score.

Round 2

Stephen Curry going nineteenth was the largest inform that this room knew the format. In our Yahoo factors mock draft, Curry lasted until choose 36. In High Score, a 40-point night time carries his complete week, so the off nights and potential relaxation/damage days won’t damage as much. Deni Avdija made a related soar (twenty first here, thirty ninth in factors), though he’s thirty fifth on my board, so that one was a bit early for me, contemplating how much guard depth surrounds him this season.

Nick Knows Ball taking Trae Young at 20 was one of my favourite picks of the spherical. Trae’s 10.1 projected assists are value more than 20 factors a recreation here, with no turnovers to fear about. I have him thirteenth in this format, and his total Yahoo ADP is 24.0.

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My choose: I got sniped a few occasions, so I went with Paolo Banchero. He’s always a higher option for factors leagues and my projections have him at 24.1 factors, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per recreation. I have him twenty third on my board, so getting him at 28 felt like a strong comfort after lacking out on a few high-end help guards who fell like LaMelo Ball.

Round 3

Here’s the largest takeaway from this draft: The frontcourt run began in Round 3, and it was A LOT. From choose 35 through 45, 11 straight FC-only gamers went off the board: Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Miller, Domantas Sabonis, Chet Holmgren, Anthony Davis, Franz Wagner, LeBron James, Jalen Duren, Joel Embiid, Walker Kessler and Cameron Boozer. That makes sense in a format with three FC beginning spots and only two G spots. Over the complete draft, 67 FC-only gamers were taken in contrast with 49 G-only gamers. I like the dual-eligibility guys; more on that later.

Two of the draft’s best values came in the center of that run. IsoScoring got Anthony Davis at 39, and I have him seventeenth in High Score. Makeshift Hoops got LeBron at 41, and I have him twenty fourth. I’m only projecting about 59 video games for AD, but that issues less in High Score. If he performs at least once in a week, you get his best recreation.

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Bjorn Broman also constructed the most playmaking-heavy workforce in the league, pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo with Josh Giddey (23) and James Harden (34). With assists value double, that’s a good manner to construct.

My choose: Amen Thompson is the form of guard I need in High Score. He’s G-eligible but performs like a huge, with 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks projected. Steals and blocks are value 3 factors each, so his shares alone add about 8 factors a recreation. He was also the last guard left in my prime 30.

Round 4

The frontcourt run spilled into Round 4. Embiid went forty third, 15 picks earlier than in our factors mock, and that’s the format at work. His availability is the complete debate in most leagues, but in High Score you only need one recreation a week from him.

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Strictly BBall made Boozer the first rookie off the board at 45, and Bjorn Broman took Donovan Clingan at 51. Both went properly forward of where I have them (68th and 79th). Kon Knueppel at 52 is another one to be aware. He fell to choose 81 in our factors mock, but here he went 29 picks earlier, and his best recreation each week averaged 32% more than his typical recreation last season. Clearly, Graphsketball has minimal issues about Kon’s hamstring as we inch nearer to opening night time.

Connor Printz got good worth with Kyrie Irving at 54. I have him thirty sixth. 

My choose: The level guard run of Keyonte George, Kyrie Irving and Darius Garland damage my queue, so I went with one of my potential breakout candidates, Matas Buzelis. Last season, his best recreation each week averaged 35% more fantasy factors than his typical recreation, properly above the league average (about 29%). His 1.6 projected blocks help him get there. I project him for 50.6 factors in his best recreation each week, more than Franz Wagner, Boozer and Clingan, who all went forward of him.

Round 5

Bigs saved going in Round 5, with 9 FC-only picks out of 14. Kel’el Ware, Ivica Zubac, Jaren Jackson Jr., Alex Sarr and Jarrett Allen all went in this body. Zion Williamson at 63 is another instance of the health low cost shrinking. He went 16 picks earlier than in our factors mock.

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Jason Zone Fisher added Pascal Siakam at 58 and completed with six FC-only gamers around Victor Wembanyama, the most frontcourt-heavy construct in the league. Dejounte Murray at 64 was one of the best values in this spherical. I have him 53rd.

My choose: Nickeil Alexander-Walker gave me a second high-ceiling participant at the flip. His best recreation each week averaged 32% more than his typical recreation last season. He’s also one of the most sturdy guards, with 76 video games projected, so he’ll be in my lineup nearly every week. Go Hokies. 

Round 6

NBA Recap Pod (Ben) got Ja Morant at 77. I have him sixtieth in this format, and he went properly forward of his total Yahoo ADP (88.9). Morant is a good match for High Score. I’m only projecting 58.5 video games, but one huge night time a week is all you need from him. It will be attention-grabbing to see if he continues to come off the bench and how that could impression his taking part in time.

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Dylan Harper at 72 went 24 picks earlier than in our factors mock. His best recreation each week averaged 39% more than his typical recreation last season, one of the largest gaps in this draft. Lucas Burns taking Ty Jerome at 78 was the largest attain of the spherical by my board (93rd). I think it’s good, though, because I’m probably too low on Jerome in High Score given how properly he performed in restricted time last yr and how good he seems to be operating the Memphis offense in the preseason. 

My choose: Coby White was the best guard left on my board, and I got him 12 spots after where I have him ranked (72nd). He tasks for 20.8 factors and 5.3 assists in Charlotte. With two IL spots, I plan to stash White there if he’s not prepared by the begin of the season. It’s always good to give yourself some flexibility to check the waiver wire. Those who scooped up Ryan Rollins early got one of the best values of last season. 

Round 7

Another frontcourt mini-run hit from picks 86 through 90: Jaden McDaniels, Zach Edey, Paul George, Derik Queen and Mikal Bridges. Edey went 23 picks later than in our factors mock, but in High Score he’s a sneaky worth if he stays healthy — which is a huge if. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. at 97 and RJ Barrett at 98 both went a little after where I have them (83rd and 81st respectively). Barrett is great in factors leagues. Mikal Bridges is the NBA’s Ironman, but he averaged fewer than 30 FPPG in High Score last yr. Durability and effectivity are his calling playing cards and those ability units play higher in 9-cat codecs.

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My choose: Cedric Coward gives me flexibility. He’s eligible at G and FC, so he can slide into whichever slot I need that week. His best recreation each week averaged 32% more than his typical recreation as a rookie last season, and I’m projecting 16.7 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in Year 2. In retrospect, I should’ve taken Jaden McDaniels there.

Round 8

Strictly BBall added rookie Darryn Peterson at 101 to be a part of Boozer and AJ Dybantsa, making it the league’s most rookie-heavy roster. I like the confidence and deciding on the prime three picks of the 2026 NBA Draft is fairly enjoyable. Graphsketball took a swing on Jimmy Butler III at 108. My projections only have him for 36 video games, but in this format, that’s less of a downside than it would be in factors. Like I’m doing with Coby White, you may as properly use the IL spot you’re afforded.

Collin Murray-Boyles at 100 and Brandin Podziemski at 103 are gamers that I’m concentrating on across codecs. The dual-eligibility gamers made a run in this spherical, with seven of the 24 guard-and-frontcourt-eligible gamers going in spherical 8.

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My choose: I took Jaime Jaquez Jr. for the same cause as Coward: G/FC eligibility. That was a bit early by my own board (124th), but his manufacturing is unfold across every column: 14.6 factors, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and practically a steal per recreation.

Round 9

The bigs went off the board again from picks 122 through 126: Neemias Queta, Myles Turner, Khaman Maluach, John Collins and Aaron Gordon. Turner is the one I’d keep away from. He’s a shell of his former self and while he may play properly to pressure a commerce, he hasn’t regarded good enough in the preseason for me to take a likelihood on him in any format. Queta is a participant to watch because Mitchell Robinson seems to be like a reliable menace to begin and eating into his minutes. 

Egor Dëmin at 120 was a enjoyable late swing for NBA Recap Pod (Ben). As properly as Lucas Burns taking Yaxel Lendeborg — one of the largest risers of the preseason.

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My choose: Reaching for scraps in assists and steals, so I went with Davion Mitchell. His Yahoo ADP is 118.7, but I have him 108th. I like him in this format, but I’d also have no difficulty dropping him if he does not hit early.

Round 10

With only 10 roster spots, many helpful gamers went undrafted. From my prime 140, Jonathan Kuminga, Collin Gillespie, DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, Tre Jones and Kristaps Porziņģis are all still on waivers. In a High Score league, the waiver wire will be loaded all season, so do not be afraid to cycle through your bench. Though, stashing Porziņģis seems like a stretch given what we know about his medical scenario.

My choose: With the last choose, I wished a dual-eligible starter and that occurred to be Quentin Grimes, giving me three dual-eligible wings to plug in wherever I need them.

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And that’s the draft. Follow the NBA High Score Creator League all season long to see who takes down the championship.