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As we approach the 2024-2025 fantasy basketball season, identifying players who will surpass their average draft position (ADP) can give you a strategic advantage. This article highlights one player in each round who I rank higher relative to their draft fate. Let’s get into it!
Round 1: Anthony Davis – PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers
ADP 7.6
The fact that the Lakers are looking for a center means that Davis will have more time at PF, which is what he has wanted for a long time. He is one of the top five players in any format when he is on the court and one of the few players capable of averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds with one steal and two blocks per game.
Round 2: James Harden – PG/SG, Los Angeles Clippers
Yahoo ADP 17.5
Harden’s value has increased due to the departure of Paul George and the gradual rise of Kawhi Leonard to start the season. Leonard admitted that his load will be managed, which puts more responsibility on Harden as a scorer and facilitator this season. He has 20 and 10 potential and could be a first-round value by the end of the season.
Round 3: Karl-Anthony Towns – PF/C, New York Knicks
Yahoo ADP 26.0
The Knicks’ new center is rising up draft boards and could be as high as mid-second at the start of the season. It’s justified, as Towns will live in the paint much more in New York than he did in Minnesota, resulting in more rebounds and blocks. We saw center KAT under Thibs in the past, and Towns averaged 23.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 actions in those three seasons.
Round 4: Evan Mobley – PF/C, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yahoo ADP 39.5
Mobley, one of my fourth-year standouts, is poised for his best statistical season. He will have the ball in his hands more. frequentlyand with more usage and an increase in assists and scoring, I project a top-35 finish.
Round 5: Immanuel Quickley – PG/SG, Toronto Raptors
Yahoo ADP 54.6
Quickley made a seamless transition into Toronto’s system, averaging 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists in 38 games for the Raptors last season. He has a positive impact in at least five categories and will average at least 30 fantasy points per game in point formats.
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Round 6: Cam Thomas – PG/SG, Brooklyn Nets
Yahoo ADP 71.8
You will get a player who will lose 25 per game with a 30% usage rate in the 6th round. During the last two months of last season, he showed that he can facilitate, so jump in assists it only increases its value.
Round 7: Isaiah Hartenstein – C, Oklahoma City Thunder
Yahoo ADP: 76.4
After a career year in New York, Hartenstein made the move and joined the Thunder. His rebounding, rim protection and passing will be a major upgrade for OKC and Fantasy Basketball coaches. If you want to stock up on guards and forwards in the earlier rounds, Hartenstein is one of the best bigs available in this range.
Round 8: OG Anunoby – SF/PF, New York Knicks
Yahoo ADP: 87.3
Anunoby is one of the best defenders in the league. Joining the Knicks was great for his fantasy team because he plays 35 minutes a night and is a threat to Thibs’ defense. He averages a steal and block per game with New York and is an ideal 3&D wing with respectable shooting splits heading into the later rounds. All those minutes could take a toll on him, though, as he’s played more than 65 games once in the last four seasons.
Round 9: Collin Sexton – PG/SG, Utah Jazz
GDP: 102.9
Going back to the guards, Sexton provided value in the seventh round as a starting shooting guard last year. His defense is solid, but he is efficient and can score 20 points with five assists in about 30 minutes. The results are not yet available, but Keyonte George left Thursday’s game with a knee injuryso there could be more point guard work on the way for Sexton.
Round 10: Amen Thompson – SG/SF, Houston Rockets
GDP: 119.7
Thompson has shown game-changing ability in the preseason, and it will be difficult to keep him off the court once the season begins. He started both preseason games, but at different positions: SF for Dillon Brooks and then Fred VanVleet at PG. Whether starting or coming off the bench, his playing ability, his rebounds and his contagious defense will earn him minutes in the rotation. Entering his second season, Thompson is a positive pick who could be much more valuable than his ADP suggests.