Fantasy Basketball – how does it work?

With the 2021/22 NBA season now up and running, basketball fans have already begun placing their predictions on who could transpire into potential superstars as well as which franchise is their perennial favourite to lift the coveted Larry O’Brien championship.

Alongside all the commotion, fans are also assembling their rosters for this seasons fantasy league and are making rational decisions to help create a worthy roster given the budget that they initially begin with.

Basketball is one of the world’s most established and extensively watched sports given that it provides fans with a plethora of phenomenal athletes competing at the top of their game.

Whether you’re a fan of the gritty yet tenacious era of the 1990s and early 2000s (a time when the likes of Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant all played at the top of their game) or the pace and space era that we currently occupy today, basketball is a sport that still continues to garner great interest from a vast number of media and sporting outlets.

Since the NBAs inception and merger with the ABA, the league has presented fans with the very best talent available from each passing decade and has since created some of sports most iconic and distinguishable moments in the league’s long history.

During the modern era, a wide range of sporting fans now find themselves indulged in the concept of fantasy league as it gives players a great chance to assemble their dream line-up and compete against other players (including friends and family members) to see who’s team reigns supreme at the end of a matchday or the season.

Fantasy league is defied by players starting with a set budget and bringing in a full squad/roster of names to compete against other, with their players gaining more points based on their performances in real-life matchups.

Much like other sports, basketball is now gaining plaudits for its fantasy league layout and display with many NBA fans now become further involved in assembling their dream roster from a number of star names throughout the league.

How to play fantasy basketball?

Players who have joined the fantasy basketball league will be required to comprise a starting line-up and bench players with an initial fantasy budget of $100 million.

When assembling their roster, players will select names from every position on the court which ranges from the one guard spot (Point Guard) up until the five man (Center).

NBA players who are already established superstars such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant will already begin the season with the most expensive prices and will take up a huge chunk of the players starting budget meaning they will have to spend their budget wisely.

Other former/current All-Stars will also likely be met with a hefty price tag, while role players/bench players will be much lower in price, meaning the player has to use their background knowledge and experience to pick a roster that can compete with other members of their league yet does not exceed their cap space, almost putting them in the viewpoint of an active NBA General Manager.

After assembling their roster, a player’s fantasy basketball side will then compete against a multitude of other online player, with the aim to topple their league by gaining points from the players in their team.

Points are gained through major analytical stats such as points scored, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks with any resulting turnovers likely removing a large number of potential points that have been gain, further emphasizing how important analytics are when it comes to crafting a roster as players should be sure to remain up to date on the league leaders in major statistical categories.

Players can waive or substitute some of their names who may not be performing up to the standards required or are likely out with injuries/health and safety concerns given that some players may have to self-isolate throughout the season.

Should a player either topple or veer close to the summit of the regional and national fantasy leagues then they will be able to claim a major prize at the end of the season for their efforts which often results in a huge sum of prize money.

Should they topple their league with any of their closest friends and family members, then it certainly makes for hilarious bragging rights and eager competitiveness to reign supreme.

It can be very challenging to predict which players could emerge as All-Stars or even potential MVP candidates given the lengthy 82 games that are played in the regular NBA season, meaning some names are bound to suffer major injuries that could further halt their progress while some names could help reignite a dormant franchise and bring them back to Play-Off contention which could see them average an impressive individual showing throughout the season.

Players such as Russell Westbrook and James Harden are often thought of to be an NBA Fantasy players best option given how often they average triple doubles on a regular basis and are now both apart of contending franchises, yet despite bolstering such impressive feats, they also have a knack for turning the ball over quite often which can still dampen a players points tally meaning players must remain firm on which options suit their team best.

Fantasy league is all about smart selections and taking calculated risks, but should they pay off, it could see a players team skyrocket up the standings and become a mainstay in their league placements.