SK Ep.4: 2024-25 NBA Fantasy League Draft Review

     Thirty minutes before the draft, I found myself assigned the 7th position. While that pushed me out of my desired top 6, it did put me in a strong spot to snag Jayson Tatum. As a Celtics fan, I was eager to either draft Tatum or trade for him, but despite my efforts, no one was willing to part with him.

     The draft kicked off, and the obvious stars were quickly chosen in the early rounds. Wemby, Joker, Luka, and Shai were locks for the top four, in my view. When it was finally my turn, I was thrilled to see that picks 5 and 6 had gone to AD and Haliburton. There he was—Tatum was right there for the taking. Without a moment’s hesitation, I selected my MVP candidate and shifted my focus to categories like FT%, Pts, Reb, Stl, and Blk. Without Wemby in the mix, racking up blocks would be a challenge, but I was determined to stick to my plan. Below are the players selected according to the stat categories.

The Draft
1.  Jayson Tatum: My dream pick—he’s the cornerstone I need to win this league.
2. Chet Holmgren: Think of him as Wemby-lite. Even if Wemby arrived later, Holmgren can still deliver solid blocks and shoot well.
3. Jaren Jackson Jr.: Another strong shooting big man. While he’s not a high-volume shooter, he maintains a respectable FT%, and as a former DPOY, he’s a fantastic shot blocker.
4. Mikal Bridges: I contemplated taking Scottie Barnes instead, which I now regret. I initially wanted to snag Jaylen Brown, but Ji-Won grabbed him—just a bit of spite there!
5. Derrick White: Arguably the best blocking guard in the league; he’ll bring some much-needed defensive stats.
6. Josh Hart: When in doubt, I trust Thibodeau to run his players for 35+ minutes per game. Hart is one of the best rebounding guards out there, even though he’s listed as a SF/PF for now.
7. Naz Reid: The front office believes Reid can fill the void left by KAT at a high level. Here’s hoping they’re right!
8. Jalen Suggs: With Fultz out of the team, Suggs could really step up and make a significant jump.
9. Amen Thompson: At this point, I’m looking for potential breakouts, and Thompson fits the bill.
10. Tyus Jones: The only point guard on the team, he has great potential to outperform his draft position.
11. Jaden McDaniels: With KAT out, he should see an increased role and opportunity to shine.
12. Kel'el Ware: I caught some highlight reels of him—he looks promising and seems quite decent.
13. Cam Whitmore: I’m banking on his athleticism to help him break out this season.

      And there it is—my draft for the 2024-25 NBA fantasy league. Here’s to hoping for a fantastic season ahead, with a sprinkle of luck coming my way from time to time. I’m counting on discovering numerous breakout stars and, overall, looking forward to another enjoyable season of both fantasy basketball and the NBA.

Gotta work on my team name...