
André SnellingsOct 9, 2025, 12:00 PM ET
- Dr. André Snellings is simply a elder writer for men's and women's phantasy hoops and sports betting astatine ESPN. André has a Ph.D. successful biomedical engineering from Michigan. He joined ESPN successful 2017 aft a 16-year vocation arsenic a neural engineer, during which clip helium was besides a writer and expert for Rotowire.
The astir hard players to task earlier an NBA play are the rookies, due to the fact that truthful overmuch is based upon however prepared they are for the speed, powerfulness and explosiveness of the NBA game. There is nary different league successful the satellite that tin genuinely comparison with what the young players volition look erstwhile they marque it to the league with Jerry West's silhouette connected the logo.
Some players are much acceptable to marque an interaction close away, portion others whitethorn ne'er drawback up with the NBA game. Then determination are the players that conscionable request time, and either during their rookie play oregon possibly successful the offseason after, the power flips and they find that they're acceptable to ball. As you hole for your fantasy basketball drafts, it volition beryllium up to you to place which players acceptable into which class and prime accordingly.
That's wherever I travel in.
Even arsenic the playoffs were inactive going, I was already heavy into NBA draught research with an oculus connected however their skills mightiness acceptable connected the teams that could draught them. Then I went retired to the godforsaken and scouted the Las Vegas Summer League to ticker the apical prospects successful person. I wanted to spot however they moved, what their vigor looked similar and whether they seemed to person that other spot of canine successful them that volition assistance them modulation to the NBA.
Let's instrumentality a look astatine the top-10 rookies and erstwhile you should see taking them successful your phantasy hoops drafts.
Must draught early
Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks: Flagg has been touted for years arsenic a aboriginal NBA superstar, and the outlook for his rookie play is much akin to the past historically touted rookie, Victor Wembanyama 2 seasons ago, than immoderate of the rookies successful past season's class. Flagg led his assemblage team, the Duke Blue Devils, successful points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals per game. He showed maine successful the Las Vegas Summer League that helium had the size, spot and mindset to person an contiguous interaction astatine the NBA level.
The Mavericks person a roster beardown capable to vie for the playoffs but a chiseled spread successful the perimeter discourtesy with Kyrie Irving (ACL) sidelined for astatine slightest the archetypal fractional of the season. As such, the doorway is unfastened for Flagg to beryllium the superior violative menace from the helping for the Mavs from the start. I person him projected firmly successful my preseason fantasy hoops apical 50, and conservatively expect him to beryllium drafted successful the archetypal 4 rounds.
Want to trial retired antithetic approaches? Try retired the ESPN Mock Draft Lobby.
Mid-to-late rounds
Outside of Flagg, determination are respective different rookies with the endowment to nutrient fantasy-worthy numbers if things enactment out. But they aren't needfully guaranteed to bash truthful from the opening tip, oregon adjacent successful the opening months of the season. Let's speech astir immoderate of the ones with the champion accidental to nutrient successful a timely capable manner to beryllium worthy of being drafted successful phantasy hoops leagues.
Ace Bailey, SF/PF, Utah Jazz: He was considered 1 of the 3 astir talented and NBA-ready players successful the class, on with Flagg and Bailey's colleg...

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