Staff Fantasy Basketball Draft Recap: Analysis of Our 12-Team Head-to-Head League
Round 1
| Pick | Overall | Player | Position | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Anthony Davis | PF/C | Mike Hurley |
| 2 | 2 | LeBron James | SF/PF | Shae Cronin |
| 3 | 3 | Stephen Curry | PG/SG | Brett Weisband |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Durant | SF/PF | Bryan Mears |
| 5 | 5 | Russell Westbrook | PG | Kyle Stanzel |
| 6 | 6 | Chris Paul | PG | Russell Peddle |
| 7 | 7 | James Harden | SG/SF | Mike Comerford |
| 8 | 8 | Serge Ibaka | PF/C | Daniel Lindsey |
| 9 | 9 | Kevin Love | PF/C | Brett Oswalt |
| 10 | 10 | Carmelo Anthony | SF/PF | Galin Dragiev |
| 11 | 11 | DeMarcus Cousins | PF/C | Brandon Gdula |
| 12 | 12 | Dirk Nowitzki | PF/C | Sam Hauss |
The big question on everyone's minds going into drafts this year is all about when to draft Kevin Durant (we happen to have a take on that, in case you're wondering). Bryan Mears didn't hesitate at all to take him with the fourth overall pick and he'll probably be laughing about how easy it was to get the biggest stud in fantasy hoops once December rolls around and the MVP is suiting up again. Durant was a consensus first overall pick before the injury, because he simply gives you everything. No one can fault you for taking him anywhere from first onward, really. It's all about how much you can stomach the wait, but he's worth it.
Now that Durant's draft stock is under scrutiny, the first overall selection dilemma has generally come down to Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry for most people. Our rankings like Davis at number one overall and Mike Hurley followed suit like a good company man. You honestly can't go wrong with either of the three, it all depends on how you want to build your team.
Other than that, notable risers in our draft include the other two Thunder stars in Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. Kyle Stanzel grabbed Russ with the fifth pick and will likely benefit from the boost he'll get with KD sidelined. Daniel Lindsey must be drinking the company Kool-Aid, because he agreed with the idea that Ibaka warrants a first-round pick when he took him eighth overall. Bold move, but a savvy one.
My pick: Chris Paul, PG - CP3 sometimes gets overlooked in the first few picks in fantasy drafts, but he's easily a top-four selection for me this year (after Davis, LeBron, and Steph). He may miss a handful of games for you, but he's finished in the top three in overall fantasy production for seven straight years now and there's no reason to think he can't do it again. You just can't beat that kind of consistency at the sixth pick. I was happy to start off with such a big jump on the competition in assists, steals, and free throw percentage, while getting points and threes in ample supply and low turnovers for a point guard as well. We have Paul as our second-ranked point guard (trailing only Steph Curry) and fourth overall (a full 10 spots ahead of Russell Westbrook).
