Preparing for my first fantasy (on Yahoo! where else) basketball season. Hai invited me to join him and a bunch of people I probably don’t know but whom have created fancy team names like joseph sPalin and Kimbo Rice. (I’m guessing we have other Vietnamese people in this league) $20-40 per team (maybe I should ask Hai to finalize this, I wouldn’t want the stakes to suddenly go higher at the end of the year when I’ve lost to him), 10 teams in all, I think.
It’s complicated. Sure, I generally know who’s good in basketball and who isn’t, I can read all the advice columns I want on the Internet, read mock drafts, etc, but it’s all a ton of work. And nothing, really, is going to beat experience (in terms of multiple years of playing fantasy) and/or luck.
All the numbers are so complicated, it’s hard to see how it all fits, but I’m sure once the season starts I’ll easily see, oh, not good.
Maybe Yahoo should have a team advisor to let you know where your standing would be in each category based on last years stats as you draft, which is probably a fairly critical part of the season.
My feeling is that I will think I did ok and then realize I’m glaringly weak in 1 or 2 categories I’ve forgotten.
Anyway, with my draft 10 days away, here’s some “advice” on whom I like:
- Jose Calderon, PG, Raptors: if you follow this site, you know I’m a big fan. I think he can put up Steve Nash numbers (same %’s, slightly less points, much better A:TO ratio)- after all who thought Steve Nash would put up Steve Nash numbers before he joined the Suns. Calderon can now hog all the minutes with TJ Ford gone, and he’s got another target in Jermaine O’Neal. I hope to pick him up 3rd round (4th round would be awesome)
- Rudy Gay, SF, Grizzles: Maybe this year’s Danny Granger (would be happy with 3rd round for him)
I always remember this video of Rick Majerus talking about Rudy Gay:
- David Lee, PF/C, Knicks: He already has great stats, but now that he’s going to start, expect him to go insane, I seriously don’t doubt he could do 15 pts and 12 rebounds/game, with 50%/80% from the floor and line, with added passing, and low turnovers. Incidentally, Lee is a fantastic basketball player, not just a fantasy guy- every article I read about his overall contribution, like his +- says he is just bad ass (I would go for him 6th round, mainly because he gets credit as a Center)
- Kevin Durant, SF, Thunder: I have him slated for the end of the 4th round. He’s a bit of a risk because the swingmen position are always loaded. Here’s why I like him. He’s a beast. He’s young. He’s going to be a lot better this year than last. Look at the last half of his rookie year, and if he improves on those a little, you can be excited: 22 points per game, 48% from the floor, 6 FTA @ 88% from the line, 5 rebounds, 3 assists,1 steal, .75 blocks. The weaknesses are the 3 ball (he can shoot it, just needs to show restraint like he did in the second half) and turnovers (3 per game). But I think with Jeff Green improving, and Russell Westbrook coming in, he can make the jump.
