About the Author

I am a former collegiate basketball player, avid basketball fan, and fierce Fantasy Basketball competitor. I will be writing fantasy advice throughout this season with the assistance of my brother, who has professional playing experience, and who has won most of the highly competitive leagues he’s entered throughout the years. We know what it takes to win in the best leagues. We’ll give tips to drafting a great team, evaluating your team’s statistical categories (Stat Cats) and other teams’ trade proposals, and most of all, we’ll tell you when and how to capitalize on opportunities that arise through real-life trades and injuries throughout the season. Our aim is to provide you with all the best Fantasy information that you’d expect from professional websites, only without the hefty Insider fees. I will also do my best to answer any questions you may have throughout the season.

October is here, which means the 2009-2010 NBA Season is near. That also means that the time to draft this year’s fantasy roster is rapidly approaching. The following are some keys to ensuring your team is at the top of your league come April.

Note: When reading this article, keep in mind that the size of your league will be a major factor in which round guys get selected. My estimates are based around a 14-team league with 12-player teams. Also please be aware that the 5 players listed are not necessarily a top 5 – just the 5 I decided to highlight. I made an honorable mention list to include the players I ommitted for the sake of brevity.

Watch These Rookies: (With the exception of Blake Griffin, you should be able to draft this year’s rookies in low positions. If you pick them higher than Round 8 it may be a costly mistake. Jonny Flynn doesn't get highlighted here, but he is one of the top prospects on this list - he should provide points, threes, and assists, but also turnovers and woeful shooting.)

1. Blake Griffin – Blake is going to be a very good NBA player. What makes him special is that he is already built like a pro and reasonably athletic, but also fundamentally sound, and he seems to have a very good head on his shoulders. It’s that rare combination of characteristics that will allow Blake to make an immediate impact with the Clippers. I expect him to average close to a double-double while shooting a high percentage from the field but not a whole lot else. Basically, draft him as David Lee Jr.

Verdict: He is primed and ready for a high-middle pick.

2. James Harden – The smooth 6’5” lefty from Arizona may surprise a lot of people with his ability to score the ball this year. He was also adept at getting steals during his 2-year college career. He played very well over the summer and will be fighting for playing time with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder, meanwhile, drafted Harden with the third overall pick, so they will be sure to give him all the opportunities he deserves.

Verdict: Round 8 or lower

3. Stephen Curry – Curry claims he is a rookie of the year candidate, although his performance this summer was not particularly impressive. Still, he is extremely confident and has proven himself as an elite scorer in college. Of course, JJ Redick and Adam Morrison are proof that being an elite scorer at the collegiate level does not necessarily translate to the NBA. He is a little undersized and underwhelming athletically, and is playing behind a cast of proven scorers in Golden State, including Monta Ellis. I have a lot of questions regarding his playing time and effectiveness this season, and even if everything falls into place for him, all he will give you are points and 3’s. There are a lot of guys who are more reliable options if that is what you are after.

Verdict: If you pick Curry, wait until the later rounds of the draft even though he is not likely to last that long. Watch the situation in Golden State closely for a trade that would open up time and keep an eye out for early signs of life from him, as many are still convinced he has star potential.

4. DeJuan Blair – Don’t draft. He plays for San Antonio. Plus, Poppovic doesn’t like to play rookies. However, he showed a strong game in Summer League play. The only reason he wasn’t drafted earlier is because of concern over his knees. But remember, these are the same knees he’s dominated college basketball with for years. It’s too bad he won’t get much time, but keep an eye out for him as a temporary solution if there are injury problems within the ranks of the aging San Antonio team. He could come in and make a difference if given the opportunity.

Verdict: Leave him for free agency and monitor his situation.

5. Tyler Hansbrough – I have been a big doubter of this guy but the more I watch him the more respect I have for his game. He had a nice showing in his summer league games and there should be time available for him at the forward position in Indiana. Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy are his main competitors and they are chronically injured and Josh McRoberts has yet to prove himself. While I still have a lot of doubts about whether he can match up with the big men in the NBA as an awkward-looking, unathletic 6’9” forward, he has a very good shooting touch and should be able to make it as an effort guy. Effort does not always translate into fantasy value though.

Verdict: Consider him in the last two rounds, or else let Tyler remain a free agent and be ready to pounce on him at the first indication of a statistically strong game.

Honorable Mention (Jonny Flynn, Tyreke Evans, Jordan Hill, Gerald Henderson, DeMar DeRozan (Nike signed him - maybe you should too), James Johnson, Brandon Jennings, Terrence Williams)

This is page 4 of 5 of this article. Check out all the rest in the links below to ensure you are prepared for this year's fantasy draft. Then, be sure to come back before the start of the season for more keys to drafting a winning team, including how to form a draft strategy by understanding which popular players will single-handedly win or lose you a category. We’ll also highlight several overlooked and underrated fantasy players (commonly known as Sleepers), and unveil a top ten depth chart at each position.

Check out my article on the top 10 players in every category.  This is a must-read for everyone who has enrolled in a fantasy league but hasn't had time to do their research yet.  We've looked through all of the statistics and compiled a list of the best players in each category for you.  Enjoy.

Check out my final pre-draft article right here.  I highlight the top 6 players at every position and give you the list of the top 14 picks in this year's draft.

Here is one last article as a bonus. It includes a long list of sleepers, the results of my first fantasy basketball draft, and more news and advice. I strongly recommend taking a look if you are serious about doing well in your fantasy draft. For much more, you should also check out Rick Buser's columns.