Ayrton Oneill
ESPN Fantasy Basketball is a fun way to get more involved in the sport, and the first step is to join or create a league. Once you've done that, you can start preparing for your draft. It's important to know the rules of your league, which can be found on your league page under 'Settings'. You can also access a League Settings overview to understand the thinking behind each rule. A good draft will set you up for a successful season, so it's worth taking the time to prepare beforehand. This includes reading up on players and strategies and participating in mock drafts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Read up on players and strategies, and participate in mock drafts |
| League rules | Roster construction, scoring, schedule, playoff structure, etc. |
| Trading | Understand the roster of the team you're trading with and which players they may be willing to part with |
| Draft type | Snake (order goes 1-10 then 10-1) |
| Draft settings | Number of seconds each team manager will get per pick |
| Live drafts | Changes can be made up to one hour before the scheduled time |
| Autopick drafts | Changes can be made until 2:59 a.m. ET on the day the draft is scheduled |
| Offline drafts | Changes can be made until the time the League Manager begins entering the offline results |
| Draft order | Can be manually set by the League Manager or randomly determined |
| Resetting the draft | Undo all draft picks and allow team managers to set their draft list again |
| League size | Customizable |
| Scoring | Customizable |
| Rules | Customizable |
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What You'll Learn
Know the rules and settings, including roster size and scoring
Knowing the rules and settings of your ESPN Fantasy Basketball league is crucial before you start a draft. Each league has unique settings, so it's important to familiarise yourself with them to avoid costly mistakes. To access the rules and settings, go to your league or team page, click on "League", and then "Settings". Here, you'll find information on roster construction, scoring, schedule, playoff structure, and more. Take the time to carefully review every section and understand the reasoning behind each rule.
Roster size is an important setting to consider. Standard rosters in ESPN Fantasy Basketball typically include one point guard (PG), one shooting guard (SG), one small forward (SF), one power guard (PF), one center (C), one guard (G), one forward (F), three utility (UTIL) spots that can be filled by any position, and three bench (BE) spots. However, these settings can be adjusted to suit your preferences. You can modify the number of starters at each position, add or remove utility spots, or increase the number of bench spots. Keep in mind that changing the roster settings can significantly impact the dynamics of your league.
Understanding the scoring system is also essential. ESPN Fantasy Basketball introduced a new default scoring system for head-to-head points leagues, which better reflects modern NBA action, especially with the increase in 3-point shooting. In this system, players accumulate fantasy points based on their performance, such as making shots, hitting 3-pointers, or making passes. For example, a 3-pointer made earns 5 points (3 for the three points scored, 1 for the 3-pointer, 2 for a field goal made, and -1 for a field goal attempt).
Additionally, consider the number of teams in your league. Head-to-head leagues typically function better with an even number of teams to minimise the number of bye weeks. ESPN Fantasy Basketball leagues can have between four and 20 teams. Fewer teams generally result in more star-studded rosters, but you can balance this by increasing the roster size.
Finally, decide on the type of draft you want to conduct. You can choose the autopick option, where ESPN drafts the teams for you based on pre-rankings and position requirements. Alternatively, you can opt for a salary-cap draft, where you have a set budget and bid on players, testing your knowledge of player values and budget management skills.
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Formulate strategies and print out rankings
Formulating strategies and printing out rankings that reflect your league's scoring format is an important step in preparing for your ESPN Fantasy Basketball draft. Here are some key considerations to help you get started:
Understand the Rules and Scoring Format
First, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the rules and scoring format of your specific league. Go to your league page, click on "League", and then "Settings" to familiarise yourself with the rules. This includes factors such as roster construction, scoring system, schedule, and playoff structure. Knowing these rules will help you make informed decisions during the draft.
Study Player Rankings
ESPN provides updated player rankings for fantasy basketball leagues. Study these rankings and pay attention to players who are ranked just ahead of your draft spots. Consider the players' positions, performance, and how they fit into your team's strategy. Keep in mind that rankings may be based on total points and not averages, so a player with a lower average could still have a higher ranking due to their total points contribution.
Pre-Draft Strategy
Developing a strong pre-draft strategy is essential for constructing the best team possible. Get your cheat sheet ready and mark off where your first, second, third, and fourth-round picks will fall. This will help you identify which players are likely to be available for each of your picks. For example, if you have the first pick out of 12 teams, you can expect to get three of your top 25 players.
Mock Drafts and Hunches
Participate in mock drafts to get a feel for the process and refine your strategy. Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to go with your hunches. If you have a good feeling about a particular player, don't hesitate to make the pick. Sometimes, following your gut can lead to unexpected successes.
Trading
Keep in mind that trading is an important aspect of ESPN Fantasy Basketball. Identify managers who enjoy trading and look for opportunities to improve your roster while unloading players you no longer need. Consider the rosters of the teams you're trading with and try to understand which players they might be willing to part with. A successful trade can strengthen your team and enhance your overall performance.
Remember, the more prepared you are before the draft, the better your chances of making informed decisions and having a successful season.
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Read up on players and participate in mock drafts
Reading up on players and participating in mock drafts are crucial steps in preparing for your ESPN Fantasy Basketball draft. Here are some detailed tips to guide you through these processes:
Reading Up on Players
- Utilize the ESPN Fantasy Basketball draft kit: This kit provides valuable resources, including customized expert rankings and draft strategies. These rankings and strategies are tailored to help you make informed decisions during your draft.
- Identify sleepers and breakout players: Keep an eye out for players who are expected to exceed expectations or take their game to the next level. These sleepers and breakouts can be the difference-makers on your team.
- Be aware of risk/reward players: Some players may offer high-risk, high-reward potential. André Snellings provides insights on these players, helping you decide if the risk is worth the potential payoff.
- Avoid overdrafting: While star players are tempting, don't get too caught up in their hype. Sometimes, it's better to pass on big names if their current average draft position doesn't align with their potential contribution to your team.
- Target middle-round picks: Consider players like those identified by Eric Moody, who slip past the early rounds but have the talent to elevate your team's performance.
Participating in Mock Drafts
- Practice makes perfect: The more mock drafts you join, the better you'll understand the drafting process and the strategies employed by other managers. This experience will help you refine your own tactics and improve your decision-making.
- Join the ESPN Mock Draft Lobby: On the ESPN website or app, locate the Mock Draft Lobby and join a league that matches your settings (auction or snake draft, category or roto scoring, team size, etc.). This will give you a realistic drafting experience.
- Observe player selection trends: During mock drafts, pay attention to which players are being selected earlier or later than expected. This knowledge will help you anticipate player availability during your actual draft.
- Test different strategies: Mock drafts are a safe environment to experiment with various drafting approaches. Try out different sequences, such as drafting a point guard in the first round versus waiting for a later round.
- Familiarize yourself with the software: By participating in mock drafts, you'll become comfortable with the ESPN draft software. You'll learn how to navigate the interface, use search functions, manage your nomination queue, and make timely picks.
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Pick a date and time for your draft
Picking an appropriate date and time for your draft is crucial to ensuring a smooth and successful fantasy basketball experience on ESPN. Here are some essential factors to consider:
Firstly, decide on a date that works for all team managers. Consider everyone's availability and try to find a time when all participants can be present. This promotes fairness and active engagement from the entire league. Communicate with your league members to determine a convenient date and time, especially if your league includes members from different time zones.
Secondly, when selecting the date, keep in mind that drafts can be scheduled by going to the League Settings page and clicking on Draft Settings. Here, you can set the date and time for your draft. Additionally, you can choose the draft type, such as snake, which is the most common type, where the order goes from 1-10 and then 10-1.
Furthermore, if you're using the ESPN Fantasy App, you can make changes to your draft settings by accessing the "League Manager Tools" tab in the menu. From there, your League Manager can tap on "Edit Draft Settings" to modify various draft settings, including the date and time. It's important to note that changes to live drafts can be made up to one hour before the scheduled live draft time.
To enhance your draft experience, consider utilizing the "Practice Draft" feature in the ESPN Fantasy App. This feature allows you to conduct a mock draft with computer managers, helping you familiarize yourself with the process and your league settings. Taking part in mock drafts can refine your strategies and increase your chances of success when the actual draft takes place.
Remember, the date and time you choose for your draft will impact the availability and engagement of your league members. Opt for a time that accommodates everyone's schedules, and don't forget to communicate any changes to the draft settings promptly to all participants.
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Change draft settings, including draft type and draft order
To change the draft settings in ESPN Fantasy Basketball, the League Manager (LM) must first access the League Manager Tools in the menu. They can do this by clicking on the "LM Tools" tab, which can be found under the "Draft Tools" heading. From here, the League Manager can edit the draft settings by clicking on the "Edit Draft Settings" option.
On the "Edit Draft Settings" page, the League Manager can change the draft type, date, and time. The draft type can be set as either a live online draft or an autopick draft, where the system drafts every team for those who don't want to commit time to preparing for a live draft. The League Manager can also choose a salary-cap draft, where each player is given a set budget to bid on players, testing their knowledge of player values and their budget management skills.
The draft order can be manually set by the League Manager or left to be randomly selected one hour before the draft begins. The League Manager can also choose the number of teams in the league, with an even number recommended for head-to-head leagues to limit the number of bye weeks. Additionally, the League Manager can decide whether to allow draft pick trading, with the default set to "No."
For live drafts, changes can be made up to one hour before the scheduled draft time. Changes for Autopick Drafts can be made until 2:59 am ET on the day of the draft, and changes for offline drafts can be made until the League Manager begins entering the offline results.
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Frequently asked questions
To start a draft, you must first sign up and join a league. You can either create your own league as a League Manager or join an already-existing one. Once you've joined a league, you can start a draft by going to the League Settings page and clicking on Draft Settings. Here, you can pick the date and time of your draft and how many seconds each team manager will have per pick.
Preparing for your draft is key to a successful season. This includes reading up on players and strategies, participating in mock drafts, and formulating strategies that reflect your league's scoring format. You can also use the ESPN Fantasy App to conduct a mock draft with computer managers using your specific league settings.
It is important to know the rules of your league before drafting players. This includes understanding roster construction, scoring, schedule, and playoff structure. You should also believe in your hunches and not be afraid to make trades. Trading can be a fun aspect of fantasy basketball and a great opportunity to improve your roster.
To edit your draft settings, your League Manager must go to the "League Manager Tools" tab in the menu and tap "Edit Draft Settings". Here, you can change any of the draft settings to your liking. Edits made to the draft settings will automatically trigger an email notification to each team manager in the league.
