In a recent gathering of basketball enthusiasts, the ESPN fantasy basketball experts conducted a 10-team head-to-head points mock draft for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season. The competition portion of the event consisted of 10 competitors, each trying to build the best possible roster from a pool of superstars.
At the very least, the mock draft was a good exercise to get an idea of where fantasy experts think the player values lie going into a new season. Among the first participant list are some notable analysts such as Alex Barutha, Eric Moody, and Eric Karabell. Other well-known figures are Andre Snellings, Tom Carpenter, Ken Crites, Joe Kaiser, Jim McCormick, Steve Alexander and Kirien Sprecher. Retaining the overall theme of the draft, each expert brought a different strategic approach to the draft which led to a different set of strategic decisions and player selections.
Key Draft Picks
One of the crowning moments of the mock was when Steve Alexander took LeBron James with the first choice. James is, of course, much further along in his career, but he’s still very much elite. He is one of the most bankable high-priced fantasy football players in terms of guaranteed fantasy points. Alexander made headlines by drafting both Kevin Durant and Paolo Banchero, showcasing a focus on balancing experience with youthful potential.
Eric Karabell had some noteworthy selections, like taking the as-advertised Stephen Curry and the future-franchise centerpiece and much-anticipated rookie Victor Wembanyama. Though unsustainable, Curry’s shooting skills as we see them are unprecedented and most football and basketball analysts agree that Wembanyama is a generational prospect. These selections show a combination of strong track record with a great deal of future potential.
Elite Players Chosen
There were other notable firsts in the draft as well. Follow Alex Barutha’s lead in drafting Nikola Jokic. He’s a perennial MVP candidate, instrumental with his overall play and historically great contributions in multiple categories. Andre Snellings strategies of dominating the paint through a powerful frontcourt came to life with picks like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. Together, both players bring effortless scoring along with a tenacious defensive touch, making them tremendous contributors in any fantasy format.
Meanwhile, Eric Moody made his mark by selecting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has rapidly emerged as a top scorer in the league. First, Moody signed Donovan Mitchell and Zion Williamson, giving Moody the best offensive roster in the country. Each of these players have unique strengths that will help him make a huge impact on his new fantasy roster.
Additional Noteworthy Selections
One fortuitous side effect of the mock draft was confirming the incredible depth of talent currently available in today’s NBA. Tom Carpenter and Jim McCormick made impactful selections with Jaylen Brown, ensuring they had a reliable scoring option on their rosters. The differences in players drafted are a testament to the unique strategies that each guru used as they faced off against one another in this year’s draft day gauntlet.
Of all the players drafted, Luka Doncic was the one not to be discussed. This drop off may affect how valuable he looks in fantasy leagues. The decisions made during this mock draft could set the tone for how various teams approach their strategies for next season.
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