Fantasy Sports have risen to popularity in the last two decades across all platforms and sports. Fantasy Sports are not sports played by wizards, warlocks, and trolls… although the meeting of a centaur and a minotaur meeting in the A-Gap at the goal line would be a ton of fun. Fantasy Sports are drafting a team of real-life players and competing with friends and strangers alike to have the best roster. Your roster gets judged by how many points it accumulates, and it accumulates points based on the stats the players get in the real-life games. It started with Fantasy Baseball, and its most popular form is Fantasy Football, but today I’m here to talk about Fantasy Basketball. 

Now, I myself have played Fantasy Football, with varying levels of success, for fifteen years. That’s not to toot my own horn, but to say that I am not a complete rookie. I am not going to be looking at the three-point percentage of a gnome (shout out to JJ Barea!). But this begins the chronicle of a season of learning how to translate that Fantasy experience into an old love: NBA Basketball. 

Basketball, specifically NBA basketball, was my first athletic love. I remember watching late ’90’s basketball with my dad well after I was supposed to be asleep. I practiced the 2000 Steve Francis Dunk Contest dunks on six-foot basketball hoops with my buddies. And I tried to copy Iverson crossovers in my driveway, finishing with the stepover of an imaginary Ty Lue. I’ve loved the NBA for a long time but I never played Fantasy Basketball. 

So this season, I’m starting. I watch enough NBA basketball to know the players. I understand the nuances of scoring, statistics, and other Fantasy Sports. This season I’m looking to combine my love of the NBA with my love of winning and share it with everyone. 

We’re going on this journey together. I’m going to share what I learn, tell you all what projections I’m making, and shed light on any trends I pick up along the way. Here at Belly Up Fantasy Sports, we’re all about helping you win your league, whether that’s for big bucks or bragging rights. Let’s do this, and learn, together.

When I played basketball, I had a coach who always said “when in doubt, go to the rack.” His thinking was when you weren’t sure what to do, drive the basketball. If the defense collapsed, a kickout pass would be easier. If the defense reached? You’d get the foul. If the defense rotated slow? Take the lay up. But when in doubt, go to the rack. 

So today, when in doubt, I take my Fantasy Basketball questions to the RAQ: Robert-Asked Questions. Here at Belly Up Fantasy, Robert “Bobby” Cordero is a Fantasy Sports pro. He always offers cutting edge advice, across multiple platforms and sports on a weekly basis. He’s never afraid to be blunt or honest, and he’s always eager to help the rest of us win our respective leagues. Here’s our back and forth, with what I hope are plenty of lessons to help get your league started. 

RAQ’s

PA: In our BUS Fantasy Basketball league, this isn’t an issue… but for the folks at home: lots of leagues play week to week, head to head. In that scenario, would you recommend playing a star player with three games and a favorable match-up (think: Anthony Davis and a game against the Knicks) or a star with a very tough four game week (think James Harden, but plays GSW, LAL, LAC, and Denver)? Which player would you recommend?

RC: If we’re only comparing stars, I always go with the player that has more games regardless of schedule.  The same saying in fantasy football, “start your studs”, applies here.  Matchups don’t  mean as much as they do in football.  Any star in the league should be able to get their stats. Choose the star that has more starts.   

PA: Obviously, a stud on a good team means they’re really good. But, in your expert opinion, would you draft a role player on a good team (think: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) or a near All-Star on a non-playoff team (think: Bradley Beal)?

RC: The good thing about fantasy is that it’s not real life.  I go with the philosophy of always looking for players that have an opportunity to succeed.  How good a team is does not matter to me as much as how involved they are on offense/defense.   

PA: In modern basketball, load management is very common. Some guys are well-known load managers. What do you do about drafting them?

RC: It is something to consider, but not something to worry about.  This season will be shortened and with Covid protocols everywhere, it’s hard to predict who or when players would be resting.  Draft players knowing the pros they provide severely outweigh the cons.  Also a good thing to keep in mind is everyone loves “names”. It’s better to have them on your roster as trade bait than someone who is otherwise lesser known.   

PA: Are there any specific things you look for in drafting a rookie? Any specific rookies that stand out this year?

RC: I want a rookie that has a good opportunity for minutes.  I look for bad teams that are willing to give their rookies a chance.  The guy that is probably going to be a front runner for ROY is Obi Toppin.  Yes, they still have Julius Randle at the same position, but the Knicks were excited to grab Obi, even if he looked like a finished product.  I bet they are going to do what they can to showcase him.  Everyone knows the Knicks need more excitement and no one excites more than the next Amar’e Stoudemire.  Also, I still think Barrett needs time to develop as a leader on offense.  I look for Obi to get a lot of burn as an experienced rookie.

PA: You hear about “championship hangover” a lot in sports, but in this season, there are several teams that, it feels like, just finished playing. Is that a factor in your drafting process? 

RC: Now this is critical.  I know a lot of teams did not get enough rest this offseason.  I know players like Lebron and Jimmy are probably not ready for the season to start.  But in the end, do not be afraid to draft them.  Always think about getting the best roster available and learn how to use the waiver wire frequently for any replacement starts if needed.  There is no reason to go after someone in a lesser tier just because you’re afraid of rest.

PA: This year’s preseason is shorter than normal, and later than normal. Does either fact matter in how you think players should get drafted in Fantasy Basketball drafts?

RC: I don’t really think it matters. Teams used part of preseason games as a way to understand who should they keep and who should they cut.  With a shortened preseason,  teams will probably use the games to understand their rotations more than who makes the roster.

Keep up with my writing at Belly Up Sports, more Fantasy Basketball writing on the Belly Up Fantasy page, follow me on Twitter @painsworth512 for more, and give our podcast “F” In Sports a listen wherever you listen to podcasts!