Fantrax has officially released their ADP data for the 2025-26 NBA season, driven mostly from expert fantasy basketball mock drafts. If you want a chance to join an early mock draft with experts from around the industry, make sure to follow me on Twitter, where I post open mock drafts for category leagues, points leagues, dynasty leagues and everything in between.
Below, you'll find my key takeaways from the first drafts done this season.
Top Fantasy Basketball Picks for 2025-26 (by ADP)
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
- Luka Doncic, Lakers
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Mavericks
- James Harden, Clippers
The bulk of this top 10 reflects how we drafted last season, with two exceptions -- Cade Cunningham and Karl-Anthony Towns. Cunningham emerged as a well-rounded, All-NBA-caliber player for the rising Pistons. He may not be able to have a higher usage rate than he did last year, but improvements to his efficiency should make him a first-round value. Towns re-emerged as a first-round value while playing center under coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibs is gone this season, but managers are still viewing KAT as a quality first pick.
Potential NBA Fantasy Sleepers (by ADP)
29. Amen Thompson, Rockets 
31. Josh Giddey, Bulls 
52. Trey Murphy, Pelicans 
56. Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers 
98. Andrew Nembhard, Pacers 
99. Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers
101. Ausar Thompson, Pistons
105. Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers
120. Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers
This list reflects the nine players with the shortest Most Improved Player odds. From early vibes on Twitter, I'm getting the sense that Giddey will be a controversial selection. I could see him going in the second round in plenty of drafts, and there will be others where he falls to the fourth. I'm relatively bullish. It's also clear that we're unclear about what's going to happen in Portland and Indiana. If you're in multiple fantasy drafts, it's probably best to get as much of a variety from those teams as possible.
Where Rookies are Being Drafted in 2025-26 Fantasy Basketball
36. Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
132. Dylan Harper, Spurs
146. Ace Bailey, Jazz 
149. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Hornets 
152. Kon Knueppel, Hornets
153. VJ Edgecombe, 76ers 
I have mixed feelings on Flagg and probably will not get him in redraft formats if he's going to keep trending in the mid-30s. He should be better in points leagues than category leagues, as many rookies are. I don't quite buy him as immediately ready to be a No. 2 option on a winning team. I don't think he'll be a bust, but there's not a big history of rookies being valuable category league players Year 1, even if they are fantastic prospects.
Harper's path to minutes and usage is murky; same goes for Edgecomb and Knueppel. Bailey's is murkier than it should be. Kalkbrenner could start for Charlotte, but my main concern is that it will end up being a three-center rotation involving Mason Plumlee and Moussa Diabate. In that scenario, everyone loses.
Essential Resources for Fantasy Basketball Success
Check out RotoWire's How to Play Fantasy Basketball guide for a complete walkthrough, but here is some basic advice:
- Check out custom NBA Fantasy Projections
- Look into Fantasy Basketball Mock Drafts
- Listen to a Fantasy Basketball Podcast
- Check in on Fantasy Basketball Player News
- Read Fantasy Basketball Articles
- Dive into RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit
- Study NBA Depth Charts
- See RotoWire's Fantasy Basketball Dynasty Rankings
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