Forget who leads their team to victory. Focus on who scores the most points or blocks the most shots. Fantasy basketball, where individual accomplishments are the only things that matter, starts now. Gone are the days of cheering for athletes because they play for your club. Is fantasy sports a shame? To some extent. A waste of time? Most likely. A great deal of fun? Definitely.
I have been working the phones in preparation for my fantasy league's upcoming draft and have some tips for you to consider. Chris Paul (New Orleans), LeBron James (Cleveland), Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers), Dwayne Wade (Miami) and Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City) are the cream of fantasy. This year the pundits are saying that Paul is the best player. Your first-round pick will be a fantasy star but the rather obvious key to success is who you select in the latter parts of the draft.
Ramon Sessions, who recently signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, is going to be incredible. He could end up being a top- 10 fantasy player. Minnesota are awful and have no expectations of being a good team this season. They will get annihilated just about every night and as a result, Sessions will be given every opportunity to score. Another player who could vault into the top-25 rankings is Tyrus Thomas (Chicago).
He can score, rebound and block shots. While his shooting percentage is below average, I am betting on the fact that he worked on his shot this summer because he is playing for a contract extension this year. Courtney Lee, who starred during the Orlando Magic's play-off run last year, was traded to New Jersey for Vince Carter during the off-season. Lee is a great defender and shooter. Given fantasy basketball's emphasis on shooting percentages, Lee will be a statistical star.
On the same note, I have some hope that Carter might find his pride and start bringing consistent effort now that he is playing near his hometown of Daytona Beach, Florida. If Carter decides to give his best, I believe that he could be the top player in the NBA. Now imagine the statistical possibilities! As for the rookies, keep an eye on Stephen Curry (Golden State). He will get you points, all three shooting percentage categories, three-point shots and a decent assist total. Additionally, Dajuan Blair of the San Antonio Spurs was one of the best rebounders in college basketball history and notched 19 rebounds in his first NBA pre-season game. Blair will be good.
Blake Griffin is the surefire pro of the rookies and will be a decent player from day one. That being said, do not reach for him in a draft. While he is talented, he is not worth drafting over an established veteran, even if your league features keepers you can hold on to for several years. My sleeper pick special is the Italian international and Toronto Raptors guard Marco Bellineli. I caught a few of his games last year when he was given playing time and was very impressed.
Another Italian worth remembering is Danilo Gallinari (New York). As a teenager, he starred in the Euroleague basketball competition. That feat cannot be underestimated and I expect him to be great in the NBA, sooner rather than later. The road to fantasy basketball success is filled with great shooters. And when you are deciding between two great shot blockers or rebounders, always go with whoever is the better shooter.
Stick to that strategy and you will do well. @Email:gdole@thenational.ae