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How do you draft in fantasy basketball
ESPN Fantasy Basketball 101 - How to play
Sep 26, 2022
ESPN Fantasy
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You love basketball. You follow the NBA, root for your favorite team and watched in amazement as Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to another championship.
And you still haven't played fantasy basketball?!
If that sounds a lot like you, this is the perfect season to give it a try -- there is just so much exciting stuff happening around the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic can do everything on the court. Luka Doncic and Trae Young have moved into the MVP discussion. Zion Williamson is coming back from a missed season. And superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant continue to put their teams on their backs like they did 10 years ago.
There has never been a better time to jump right into the fantasy game.
Create or join an ESPN Fantasy Basketball league today and draft your league any time before the first game tips off every Monday. Your league starts fresh with 0-0 records for the new matchup period.
Sign up for free!
Imagine having Curry on your team when he gets on a roll from 3-point land and carries you to victory. Or what it feels like to have LaMelo Ball on your squad when he stuffs the stat sheet in his third NBA season.
These are the moments you remember as a fantasy manager!
In fact, many of those who've played fantasy basketball over the years can recall specific games that certain players had for them. An epic scoring night by James Harden or Damian Lillard, or maybe a timely triple-double by Russell Westbrook.
So fun. So, so fun!
If you're not an expert, don't worry -- we have everything you need to know about how to enter a league and draft a winning team. Even if you're a total beginner, you will still have the tools to experience the joy of fantasy basketball like millions do every year.
Make the league your own
Every fantasy basketball league is different. While there are basic rules and settings that apply across the board (you will learn about those below), each league takes on its own identity based on settings like roster size, injury spots, stat categories and other specifics.
We encourage you to join or start a league that fits what you're looking for. If you want to be more casual and set your lineups once a week, find a league that uses weekly lineup changes. If you're a little bit more diehard with all this and want to be able to add and drop players and craft new lineups on a daily basis, that's the type of league you should enter.
The bottom line is to do what's fun for you. Find a league that keeps you tuning in to watch your players every night.
With that in mind, we've put together ESPN Fantasy Basketball 101 to give you an overview of how to get started, how to prepare for your draft and how to play during the season.
Now it's time for you to sign up and join the fun!
Getting started
ESPN Fantasy Basketball FAQ
Click here for a quick reference for basic game-related questions.
How to sign up on the ESPN Fantasy app
Were you invited to an ESPN Fantasy Basketball league? Do you want to create your own as a League Manager? We have complete instructions for you right here.
How to sign up online
Whether you were invited to join an already-existing league or want to create your own as a League Manager, you'll find everything you need to do so right here.
League settings
If you created your own league, you'll need to make sure all of your league's rules and settings -- including roster size, scoring, regular-season schedules and playoff schedules -- are to your liking. We have all of the details of how to do that right here. Note: This season
You've signed up, now what?
Check out your league and team pages
It's time to learn more about your league and team pages, so you know where everything is. We've got you covered with a detailed tour right here.
Know your rules
This might seem incredibly basic, but even veteran fantasy basketball players often assume they know their league rules even when they don't. The result of overlooking a rule can be costly, so be sure you know the rules before your draft.
Go to your fantasy basketball league page, click on League, then Settings. Here, you'll be able to find all the rules that are in place for your league this season. This includes roster construction, scoring, schedule, playoff structure and more.
Take the time to carefully go over every section. To make sure you understand the thinking behind each rule, check out our League Settings overview.
Draft prep
A good draft will put you in position to have a successful season, and taking time to prepare beforehand is key. That includes formulating strategies and printing out rankings that reflect your league's scoring format.
Don't worry, we have you covered with customized expert rankings and draft strategies in the ESPN Fantasy Basketball draft kit.
Autodraft prep
If you don't plan to take part in a live draft, that's OK. Our system will automatically draft for you.
Still, you have the option of guiding how our system will draft your team. Go to your Team page and click "Edit Autopick Strategy." Here, you can decide which player positions you'd like to pick in which parts of the draft and how many players at each position you want to select overall.
Mock drafts
Mock drafts are simply practice drafts that don't count for anything. It's a terrific way to get used to the ESPN draft software, make sure you know how everything works and test out different strategies. For example, that might mean drafting a point guard in the first round versus drafting a small forward in Round 1 and waiting on a point guard until the fourth round.
These practice drafts also let you see which players are going higher than expected and which are routinely slipping down a round or two (or more). This is extremely useful knowledge that you can take with you in your real draft and use to your advantage, avoiding those "sliding" players until later rounds when you have a good idea that they will still be available.
For an overview of how everything in the ESPN draft room works, click on this link.
The draft
Draft day is the most exciting day of the season, because it's when your team goes from a plan to a reality. It's when you finally get the chance to assemble the group of players you get to root for all season. Of course, you can always add and drop players throughout the year, but the draft is still the most fundamental part of your roster and you want to make sure you don't miss on your top players.
If you have prepared for your draft by reading up on players and strategies, and by participating in several mock drafts, you're on the path to success. Believe in your hunches and don't look back.
To make everything go as smoothly as possible, be sure to follow these handy rules.
The season is starting, let the fun begin!
Trading
In most leagues, there are at least a few managers who enjoy the art of the deal. If you're one of those people, trading is going to be one of the most fun aspects of fantasy basketball. When done well, it's a great opportunity to improve your roster while unloading someone you perhaps no longer want or need.
There are several important factors to keep in mind. You must look at the roster of the team you're trading with and understand which, if any players, that manager might be willing to part with. For example, it'd be unwise to make a trade offer for a point guard on a team that is battling injuries and down to one healthy point guard. Also, while you may never want to send your best trade offer with your first proposal, be careful not to offer up too little. That can be offensive to the other manager and can lead to that person not only declining your offer but ending all future trade talks with you.
In-season strategies
Beyond trading, there are other factors to consider during the season like how to manage your games played in roto leagues, how to approach head-to-head playoffs, and how best to work the waiver wire. Check out the in-season strategies section of our draft kit.
Fantasy basketball etiquette
Every few years, no matter what type of league you're in, you'll run into someone who causes problems. Sometimes it name-calling on the message board and being a bully. Other times it is a constant stream of wild trade offers and questionable transactions. Whether you are in a hyper-competitive league or just trying to have some casual fun, you want to avoid being this way or having others in your league who conduct themselves like this.
Generally speaking, that just means following the golden rule: Treat others the way you'd want to be treated in your league.
Top draft trends, strategies for 2022-23
Mikal Bridges averaged 14. 2 PPG and 4.2 RPG in his third season in the NBA last year and looks to improve those averages this season. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
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Oct 14, 2022
ESPN Fantasy
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The 2022-23 NBA season is less than a week away and fantasy basketball draft season is in full swing. Our fantasy basketball experts have been busy participating in a number of drafts across leagues as well as offering advice about strategy in different formats.
However, there are always a few last-minute takeaways that can help anyone just starting their draft now. André Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and John Cregan break it all down.
Waiting on centers can pay off
In the most recent draft I did, nine starting centers went between picks 76 and 121, including all three of my centers on that team. I was able to go perimeter early and often and was still able to balance out my squad with quality big men late. -- Snellings
Create or join an ESPN Fantasy Basketball league today and draft your league any time before the first game tips off every Monday. Your league starts fresh with 0-0 records for the new matchup period.
Sign up for free!
Depth at point guard
There is a lot of depth at the point guard position, with a lot of quality starting options for managers. In my h3H category tiers column, I mentioned how essential it is to leave your draft with one from the top three tiers even with the depth at the position. There are 15-point guards in those tiers combined. -- Moody
Lack of quality small forwards
I seem to have this issue every season, but even more so this season: I just can't find many small forwards I feel good about at their ADP, so I keep on passing them up and ending up with Portland's Josh Hart or the Suns' Mikal Bridges in the end. I like those Villanova products, of course, and it's not a bad idea to load up on point guards and power forwards, but still, I find the top-100 depth lacking at the position. -- Karabell
Fear of tanking teams is leading to overlooked players
The fantasy market seems to be fading most of the tanking teams and their respective players. I think there is value in this trend, as the market is likely letting team goals influence player expectations too much. Take Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for instance; his recent knee injury has tanked his fantasy stock, but a good degree of the fade is also drive by the risks associated with being on the Thunder. There's Sexton, who is bound to finish in the top 10 or 12 in usage rate this season, but has relatively zero buzz. Young, and arguably emergent, players from the likes of the Spurs (Devin Vassell, Tre Jones), Pacers (Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson), and Rockets (Alperen Sengun, rookie wings) are all somewhat discounted in drafts this season. -- McCormick
Clinging to established names over emerging young stars
The second round has the same concentration of uncertainty as the 10th round. Once you get beyond the seventh pick, (let's say Ja Morant), the next 15 picks are a crapshoot. There In the late-first, early-second round range, managers are clinging to established names with pronounced injury concerns (Durant, LeBron Lillard, Harden, KAT). I think it speaks to how 2022-23 looks like a transitional year in the NBA overall, with this under-recognized rash of under-25 talent staging a low-level takeover. -- Cregan
90,000 NBA Draft. How it works? - Blogg on the floor - Blogs
Everything you wanted to know about the draft but were afraid to ask.
The text of the educational program was first published before the 2016 draft
The NBA draft will take place today - an event that attracts many even more than the final series, especially fans of teams that did not make the playoffs or were eliminated early stages.
What is a draft?
Draft - translated from English as "call" - is held every year at the end of the season in the NBA. At the ceremony, which is traditionally held in New York (until 2010 the draft was held in the legendary Madison Square Garden, since 2011 - at the Nets' home arena, first in New Jersey, now in Brooklyn), NBA clubs take turns declaring their rights for young basketball players.
If you are familiar with the European sports system, where children are made into athletes in academies and sections, you may not immediately understand the idea of a draft. But in America there is a clear vertical of sports, which is integrated into the education system: schools - universities - professional sports. Different sports have their own nuances, but in basketball the scheme is the simplest. After school, the best players are offered sports scholarships at universities, the competitions of which are supervised by the NCAA association, and from there students are drafted by NBA teams.
From 2022, the NBA plans to once again allow a player to be drafted straight from school, bypassing college, as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James and others did in 1995-2005.
How long has the draft been in existence?
The first NBA draft passed after the first season of the Association - in 1947. The NBA adopted the amateur draft system from the National Football League, where it had existed since 1936, with NFL teams allocating rights to players who were not yet professionals. If you dig deeper, the origin of the draft lies in baseball - from 19For 21 years, Major League Baseball teams have been drafting players from the minor leagues.
Why is it needed?
The main idea of the draft is to give all clubs a chance to get a strong basketball player into the roster. The whole philosophy of the NBA is based on the fact that initially the opportunities of all teams are equal. The Draft makes impossible the situation we're used to in European sports, where rich clubs buy the best stars and their academies and youth teams have a long line of promising athletes. In the NBA, any club can get a chance to win the rights to a future star by drafting her.
How are draft spots determined?
Based on how the club performed last season. The order of the draft is the reverse of the regular season table: the lower the place in the table, the higher the number in the draft (also called the "draft pick" or simply "pick"), and performance in the playoffs does not matter. However, the first four draft picks are played in the "draft lottery".
All clubs that didn't make the playoffs have a chance of picking one of the first four picks in the draft. To determine who gets to choose first, second and third, a lottery ceremony takes place in May. During this ceremony, four balls out of fourteen are drawn by lot. Combinatorics says that the number of combinations of four balls out of fourteen is 1001. For an even number, one reserve combination (“11-12-13-14”) is removed, and the remaining 1000 are distributed among teams. The bottom three clubs in the league have 14% to win the lottery, the fourth from the bottom has 12.5%, and so on; the best club that did not qualify for the play-offs has only a 0.5% chance of winning the toss. The number of wins does not affect the chances, only the place in the table. The procedure is carried out four times, determining the first, second, third and fourth numbers. If a reserve combination falls out or one that has already been (you cannot win the lottery twice in one year), then the balls are taken out of the lottery drum again.
What is the lottery for?
The system when the worst teams are chosen first is inherently flawed - some club can deliberately lose as many matches as possible in order to fall to the very bottom of the table and choose first. This strategy is called "tanking" in jargon. Prior to 1965, the NBA had a "territorial draft pick" rule, where clubs could select players from nearby colleges out of turn. But as the league expanded, that rule was dropped, and first pick was determined by a coin toss—the two bottom-place teams in their conferences had a 50% chance of being number one. So, a coin at 19'79 determined that Magic Johnson went to the Lakers, not Chicago.
In 1985, the league came to the decision that a blind draw would determine the order in which not only the last and penultimate teams in the league, but generally all teams that did not make the playoffs, would be selected. In 1987, the system was adjusted - non-playoff clubs still had equal chances for the first, second and third draft picks, but after the first three places were drawn, the rest were chosen in the standard reverse order.
In 1990, they approved the system that is still in force today, in which the probability of winning the lottery was the higher, the worse the place in the regular season table was. Probability percentages have fluctuated from year to year, the most recent system with the most even odds was introduced only this year and is designed to reduce the number of teams deliberately losing for the sake of a high number in the next draft (previously, the worst team received 25% chances for the first pick).
The reform is believed to have worked - only three teams did not win 20 games last season, of which only the worst - the New York Knicks - won the lottery, and still fell from first place to third.
How many people will be selected today?
The NBA Draft consists of two rounds (once their number reached ten or more - teams were chosen until they got bored, in 1988 the number of rounds was reduced to three, and the next year to two). Since there are 30 teams in the NBA, 60 people will be selected in the draft now. Each club is assigned a place in the first and second rounds.
Players from the first round of the draft receive guaranteed contracts for two years in certain amounts (clubs also have the opportunity to extend the contract for the third and fourth seasons), players from the second round sign with the club that selected them for any contracts, almost like free agents.
What happens to those who are not drafted?
They become free agents and are free to sign with any NBA team if they are interested. Every year, about 20 undrafted rookies get a chance to play in the NBA.
So you can get into the NBA without being drafted?
You can get into the NBA without being drafted. But all the players were drafted - they were simply either selected and assigned to some NBA team, or not. How exactly basketball players get into the draft is described below.
Will drafted players play in the NBA next year?
Not at all necessary. The club is obliged to sign the player selected in the draft if the basketball player himself requires it, but the team can agree with the player that he will spend a year in another league, and sign in the NBA later. The rights to the players do not expire until the player signs a contract, so, for example, Atlanta still has the rights to 51-year-old Augusto Binelli, who was selected 30 years ago, but never came to the NBA, and Sacramento there are rights to the legendary Dejan Bodiroga, who ended his career back in 2007 and is considered the best player of our time, who never tried his hand at the NBA.
In most cases, the so-called “stash” basketball players (to stash) play in Europe (Latin America, China, Australia) until they are needed in the NBA: San Antonio has rights to a dozen Europeans, from young Milutinov and Lalanne to veterans Lorbeck and Printezis who will no longer come to North America. But in recent years, NBA clubs have occasionally begun to use their American Farm League (G-League) for these purposes.
But the player can no longer return to college after the draft - the rules of the student NCAA do not allow basketball players entering the draft to change their mind after a certain date (this year the date is before 29May). So a player who enters the draft is sure to become a professional after him - in the NBA or another league. He can continue his education in college (if he finds time for this in the busy schedule of the NBA), but will lose his athletic scholarship, will be forced to pay his own tuition and will no longer be able to play for university sports teams.
What if a player refuses to play for the club that chose him?
A basketball player has no leverage to choose a club - he either plays for the team that has the rights to him, or does not play in the NBA at all. But there have been no such scandals for a long time - not once in the 21st century. If a player for some reason does not want to play for the club that has chosen him, it is better for him to amicably agree with the team and his agent that he will then be exchanged to another club. And no one wants to risk their reputation and spoil relations with the NBA even before their debut. There is too much money at stake now to give it up so easily.
Why does Atlanta have six draft picks this year and the Lakers have none?
In the NBA, clubs do not buy basketball players from other teams, but exchange them for other players. Clubs in the NBA - like in other American leagues - have the opportunity to exchange future draft picks for existing players. So, last summer, San Antonio gave Kawhi Lenard to Toronto, and in return received not only two players, but also the right to choose in the 2019 draft under the Raptors pick in the first round. Last season, Toronto finished second in the regular season – and in 2019, San Antonio will choose not only under “their” 19-th peak, but also under the "Canadian" 29th. And the Lakers, as a result of various exchanges, gave up their picks in the 2019 draft in both the first (not yet official, but already negotiated trade of Anthony Davis) and in the second round, and therefore remained without draft picks at all tomorrow.
Every year about 10 first round picks and 15 second round picks change hands as a result of past exchanges. In addition, on the day of the draft itself, many picks also go in exchanges: someone wants to "rise" in the draft and exchange several lower picks for one higher one, someone wants to get a young player and exchange one of their basketball players for the right to choose another club in the draft.
How is the draft ceremony?
Representatives of all teams gather in one place and begin to choose players in turn. The choice of a player in the first round is given 5 minutes, after which the club's managers must make a decision and report it to NBA commissioner Adam Silver. After that, Adam enters the stage, announces his choice, invites the player to shake hands (if the player is present in the hall), and the 5-minute countdown begins for the other team.
In the second round, the tired commission agent is replaced by his deputy, only 2 minutes are given to choose, and the players are no longer called on the stage.
What is a green room?
In front of the stage where the NBA commissioner will announce the election today, there is an area called the Green Room where the NBA personally invites players to be selected with the highest numbers. Usually the number of invitations varies from 15 to 20. Each player is allocated a table "in the stalls", where he sits with his family.
How cool is it to pick number one?
Of course, the higher your draft number, the more likely you are to get the best player. At different times, such great basketball players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James (pictured) were chosen under the first number.
However, number one is no guarantee of success: of the last 30 first picks in the draft, only five have become champions so far, and only two (Kyrie Irving and Tim Duncan) are on the team that drafted him (LeBrona also once chose Cleveland, but he went to Miami, and returned as a free agent).
In addition, quite often there are cases when a basketball player is chosen with a high number who does not live up to expectations. Drafting and evaluating player prospects is not an exact science, and there are always misses because sports managers have not yet learned to look into the future.
Can I choose a star with low numbers?
Of course. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry was selected only seventh in 2009. Dirk Nowitzki - ninth in 1998. Kobe Bryant, one of the most popular athletes in history, once fell to number 13, as did the legendary Karl Malone. Defending champion and Finals MVP Kawhi Lenard was selected 15th, after lottery picks, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nikola Jokic and Draymond Green were selected only in the second round of the draft, where a basketball player appears every year who is capable of becoming a team leader in the future.
Who should be the star of the 2019 draft?
Forward Zion Williamson is recognized as the 2019 Player of the Year. Highly regarded also include two defensemen, RJ Barrett and Ja Morant. Some of them will be able to confirm expectations, someone will disappoint. And someone who wasn't even invited to the Green Room could shoot and make it to the All-Star Game in a few years.
How do players get drafted?
You can get drafted "automatically", or you can apply . Let's consider both options in more detail.
What is automatic draft entry?
There are two categories of players automatically drafted:
Those students who played four seasons in the NCAA - such were Tim Duncan (pictured) in 1997, Draymond Green in 2012, this year - the giant Taco Fall.
Previously undrafted overseas players who turn 22 in the year of the draft - that is, now they are basketball players from Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, Africa, etc. 1997 year of birth.
Those who studied at an American school or university and then transferred to a professional contract abroad also automatically get into the draft. After a year of playing professionally, such players enter the draft - rare cases, but not exceptional (Brandon Jennings in 2009, Emmanuel Mudiay a few years ago).
How do I apply for a draft?
If a player does not intend to study all four years or does not want to wait until he is 22, he can apply for a draft called “early entry” . To do this, he writes an official letter to the league office with the nomination of his candidacy. The vast majority of players are just such early entry players, for example, this year there are 84 of them, and about fifty will be among the coveted 60 numbers.
To apply, a player must be at least 19 years of age in the year of the draft and must either be playing overseas or be a student. NCAA students can apply after their first year. In the last nine drafts, the first pick has been exclusively freshmen.
Schoolchildren have been banned from drafting since 2006, but in 2016, 19-year-old Ton Maker was able to circumvent this rule by proving that he graduated from school a year ago, and for 2015/16 remained in it of his own free will for additional training. Since then, a few other people, such as Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks, have moved to the NBA from their postgraduate years of high school, bypassing college.
A player cannot enter the NBA without being drafted. Each person either goes there automatically after graduating from college or by age 22, or wants to do it earlier and applies. All NBA players - and generally all people over the age of 22 - were in the draft, just someone was selected, and someone was not.
How many times can a player apply for a draft?
You can only be drafted once. But a player can submit an application, withdraw it before the deadline (May 29 this year for NCAA students, June 10 for international basketball players), then reapply in another year - and if desired, withdraw again and wait for automatic exit. This year there were 90 people who applied went to screenings, talked to club representatives, and then withdrew the application, feeling that next year their chances of being selected high would be better. Among them is the Russian Nikita Mikhailovsky from Avtodor.
Can I apply for a draft?
This year, of course, not anymore, the application deadline has long passed. But next - if you were born in 1998, 1999 or 2000, or graduated from high school in the US in 2019 - you can apply for the NBA draft. You don't really need to know how to play basketball. And at 22, we were all/will automatically be in the draft, even without any applications.
Are there Russians in this draft?
Only those that come out automatically because they were born in 1997. None of them stand a chance of being selected.
Were the Russians chosen in the draft?
Back in 1975, Alexander Belov was selected in the tenth round of the draft. Of course, he did not leave the USSR for the NBA. In 1986, other legendary Soviet basketball players appeared in the draft - Sabonis, Volkov, Tikhonenko. But foreigners went to the NBA only at 1988, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the clubs began to draft our compatriots with the specific goal of inviting them to the NBA.
Here's who was selected in the draft:
1994 - No. 36, Andrey Fetisov, Boston (did not play in the NBA).
1999 - No. 24, Andrei Kirilenko, Utah (13 years in the NBA).
2004 - No. 21, Pavel Podkolzin, Dallas (2 years in the NBA), No. 22, Viktor Khryapa, Portland (4 years in the NBA), No. 23, Sergey Monya (1 year in the NBA), Portland , No. 57, Sergey Karaulov, San Antonio (did not play in the NBA).
2005 - No. 12, Yaroslav Korolev, Clippers (2 years in the NBA).
2008 - No. 56, Sasha Kaun, Cleveland (1 year in the NBA).
2013 - No. 19, Sergey Karasev, Cleveland (3 years in the NBA).
The rest, including Shved, Bazarevich and NBA champion Timofey Mozgov, were not drafted and signed as free agents. Bolomboy, McCarthy and Hansen became Russians years after the NBA draft.
What time is the draft tomorrow and where can I watch it?
The draft ceremony will begin at 2:30 am from Thursday to Friday Moscow time, and you can watch, by subscribing to NBA League Pass .
What if I still have questions about the NBA draft?
The captain of the national team of Ukraine Kyrylo Fesenko did not play in the rest of the European Championship. About those who tried to make a name for themselves in the NBA and didn’t come to the national team, as they turned to Europe, they changed in their views on basketball, the center of attention rose at the tribuna.com interview.
Five years ago he played in the strongest league in the world, did not come to the national team and was a noble slob. Now he is the captain of the Ukrainian national team, the leader of the modest Italian Avellino and an exemplary family man. Kirill Fesenko explained to Andrei Senkiv how it happened.
- How can a Cherkasy Mavp player get into the Utah Jazz? - You probably need to be a talented player with good data, but 60-70 percent is played by a good agent. I had it. He drafted me, I lived and ate with his family. He taught how to communicate with the representatives of the club, what to do, what not to do, how to joke.
– How did you learn English? - I have always had a passion for foreign languages, I came to America with a good knowledge, but not enough for free communication. I started watching series in English with subtitles. Then I caught how people communicate, began to understand them and stopped being afraid to speak.
- Why do you think you weren't ready for the NBA? - There were many moments. In the NBA, you are treated like a pro. They don't give out apartments or cars. You only have a salary.
- But she's big. - And I was 19 years old. Professionally, I was a child.
It was a revelation for me when they said that tomorrow is a day off, you have a rest, and then they ask you: “Where were you yesterday?”. I say, “What do you mean? Yesterday was a day off. " They answer me: “Are you very tired?”
You must arrive an hour and a half earlier, you must stay after training. If the team has one practice a day, you need to ask the coaches to work with you additionally.
All this was difficult for me. I was not the most hardworking guy and got a little lost. And I figured it out at the end of the speeches. Only the last two seasons in Utah, I had a good time.
- What else surprised you in the NBA when you got there? – When injured, you work 2-3 times more. You need to come before training, after which you go to the gym, then do cardio. All this is mixed with a billion procedures. But they put on their feet very quickly. But for me it was wild, strange and incomprehensible.
Food was a nice bonus. You wake up, you come to training, and there is a chef who can make an omelette, as you ask. As someone who still doesn't know how to cook, I liked it.
In the NBA, everything is built so that you don't think about anything but basketball.
- Did you succeed? - No. I thought about everything a 19 year old can think of. And not just about the NBA.
– For example? - Take a walk, relax. Computer games have always been at the forefront. I read a lot and watched movies. I went to clubs a lot. When you are an NBA player, entry to all nightclubs is free for you. It didn't work in my favor.
- Did you go to nightclubs even when there was a game the next day? - There was a case. I was an ordinary guy who through trial and error found his place in life.
– Were you drunk? - There were times when I got drunk. I see no reason to hide. I got paid for it, I was fined and I quarreled with teammates. When I matured and felt responsible for the result of the team, I stopped doing all sorts of crap.
What is your biggest fine? - 100 percent of salary. I don't even remember why.
- Utah? – No, I was fined there only for being late for training.
- The largest amount that was held in hand. - 18 thousand dollars. I won them at the casino when I was there for the first time in my life. Had a great time that night playing dice, also for the first time. I was very surprised when I exchanged chips.
When we left with a huge sum, we only had to cross the road - 50 meters to the hotel. I turned around and said, "Let's run." And we big tough guys ran like kids.
– Where did you spend those 18 thousand? - I bought a wallet, a belt and a large bag. I left everything else and brought most of it home.
- The most expensive thing you've ever bought other than an apartment and a car. - A computer with three monitors, crazy equipment - cost 7.5 thousand dollars. I bought it in my second year at Utah for games.
– Has there ever been a time when money came first in your career? - Of course. When I signed with Indiana, I had another offer from Boston. But I chose a place that paid more.
- The maximum salary you received? - In my last year in the NBA, I made $940,000 without taxes. This is an unrealistic amount.
– When did you start saving money? - Relatively recent. Prior to that, he led a wild life. And now I am a family man who takes this issue seriously.
– Have you matured? - Yes, I stopped enjoying slovenliness. Realized it wasn't worth it. At 25, I thought I would go to nightclubs forever. And now for the whole summer I was there only twice. And then - to sing karaoke, I love this thing.
- Who was the biggest joker in your American career? - Derron Williams. We were constantly teasing each other. I'll hide his things during training, then when I fall asleep, he will pour a glass of water on my pants. It was fun and kind, although sometimes it went to extremes. But no major conflict.
- Kirill Fesenko's funniest joke in the NBA. - One joke was even printed in Sports Illustrated magazine. A reporter sat down to talk to me before the game. He had the year 20,007 written on his badge. I asked Terminator-style, "You came from the future to kill us?" Far from my best joke, but it tore the press.
- Williams once called you a "clown." For what? – Probably because I like to joke. I am a positive person in life. But in those days, I joked too much - even when it was not necessary to do so. For example, when the coach spoke. This is unacceptable.
– How did the coach feel about this? - Periodically Jerry Sloan left me after training. He believed in me and my potential.
Sloan is one of the greatest coaches in basketball history. He was never distinguished by political correctness, did not choose his words. If you behave badly, he speaks in direct obscene language - you are wrong. This is the only person whose gaze during training starts to get nervous and sweat. Sloan is the person I respect the most in basketball.
- Do you think it's a good decision to dye your hair white?
- It was not fashionable, but when did that stop me? Like most acts of youth, I dyed my hair for fun.
I was too lazy to shave then, so I got white hair and a black beard. Well, like a beard - some fluff. Now I am reviewing photographs of that time and I understand: he looked disgusting. I can’t understand - what, well, what was I thinking then?
- How did Sloan take the blond Fesenko? - Jerry came up to me and looked at me for a long time. And then he penetratingly asked: “Will this help you collect more rebounds?”. I answered yes. And he said, "We'll see." He definitely didn't like it. Sloan is very conservative.
- Why did you dislike Kobe Bryant? - I didn't like him as a Lakers player who knocked us out of the playoffs three times. I didn't like the Lakers at all. But I admire him as an athlete.
- Why did you punch LeBron James in the face? It seems like it was underhand. – It wasn't on the sly. YouTube does not show the beginning of the situation.
The Cleveland player was throwing a free kick and I backed LeBron. He pushed me dangerously in the air and took the rebound. No one whistled a foul - it's LeBron. He accelerated and tried to score through me from above, and I did not even try to cover him. Stopping LeBron, who is rushing at full speed towards the ring, is like stopping a locomotive at full speed. I just wanted to hit him. And I hit him. The judges saw the previous situation, and therefore did not whistle. While LeBron lay down and the entire Cleveland team was having a minor heart attack, we scored two easy points.
– When else did you break down on the court? - The only time I got sent off was when I was playing for the youth team of Ukraine. We played a very important game against Turkey. End of match. One of the Turks began to tell me where I was wrong. At first I smiled, realizing that I was being provoked. But then he said something about my mother. I'm not a big fan of such words - and hit his forehead in the face. We both got disqualified. Turkey won and I let the team down.
“Let me finally tell who I showed this finger to”
– You once said: “I always had a bad reputation in Ukraine. Nobody has ever loved me." Is it because you rarely came to the national team playing in the NBA? - This is a complex of my mistakes in my youth. The main reason is that I refused to come to the national team.
Although “refused” is a strong word. It’s just that the club gently hinted to me that it’s undesirable to go to the national team, but it’s better to train with the NBA team. And I, like any other young man, made my mistakes, statements in the press and misbehaved somewhere.
– Why do NBA players come to the national teams of France, Spain or Germany, but not to the national team of Ukraine? - When you are not in such a stable position as Pau Gasol or Tony Parker, then more often the choice falls in the direction of employment. We need to cling to the NBA with all our might.
- But the player decides anyway. – The club cannot forbid you. Still, this is America, a very legal state.
But imagine that the contract ends and you need to sign a new one. And they tell you - we strongly recommend that you stay, work with our coaches in the summer, be in sight all the time, correct your shortcomings. It is clear that in this situation you will do as your employer wants.
- There are situations when players come to the national team, but they are treated strangely, as was the case with Timofeenko and Zagreba. You then wrote a very emotional post. Were there other similar situations? – Then I acted rashly and emotionally. But I don't go back on my words. I will not surprise anyone if I say that situations are different. But I won’t talk about them - I’m not ready to endure quarrels in public, to become Edward Snowden.
– What did Murzin say after this post? – We had a manly talk with the coach. I expressed my claims to him, and he told me his vision of the situation. We shook hands and continued to work.
- When you were offered a move to Minnesota, you turned it down because you wanted to play for the World Cup team. But Mike Fratello did not pick up the phone. Did you forgive him? - I won't say that I was very offended, but I really wanted to come to the national team. Then I had one of the best physical conditions in my career. After the NBA Summer League, I was in perfect shape. But the head coach decided to get by with those players who got a ticket to the World Cup.
- It turns out that you did not return to the NBA because of the coaching staff of the national team. - This is a strange opinion. The coach chooses the players he knows how to work with. If Fratello did not see me in his team, then either I did not fit his style of play, or he did not like something in my character.
In those days, my character was not as mature and experienced as it is now. I allowed myself to underwork, to argue with the coach. So he decided to do without me. And I respect his opinion.
– A year ago you said: “Ukraine can win the EuroBasket”. Seriously? - I always believe that we can win any game. If you don't plan to win every game, then why go on the court at all? What is the point in grueling workouts, in a crazy summer marathon, if you don’t improve yourself?
- Did the Ukrainian national team meet your expectations at the last EuroBasket? - They performed much better than I expected, realistically. They left the group and imposed a fight on almost all teams.
If you single out someone, then four: Pustovoy, Bobrov, Lukashov and Lipovoy. They showed themselves seriously. Therefore, we now have good chances to reach the World Cup.
- There is talk of Pustovoy moving to the NBA. He's ready? - Nobody is ever ready for the NBA. I say this as a person who arrived and got very lost. There is a different mentality, attitude to sports, a different organization and style of play. Roughly speaking, another country.
Physically Pustovoy is ready, but the point is that you need to be ready emotionally and psychologically. And in this regard, Artem still needs to work. Maybe next season he will be a more experienced master and will prove that I was wrong by becoming the first Ukrainian player at the All-Star Game.
- You played in Ukraine at the beginning of the 2000s. Tell us the strangest story of those times. – There was a funny situation when Azovmash-2 and I won the top league and had to go to the super league. But there cannot be more than one team from one club in the league. Therefore, Mariupol was quickly assembled on the knee, which was announced in the Super League - in order to play the young. And several players from the first team were transferred there.
During the pre-season it was decided to hold a friendly match between Azovmash and Mariupol. And we beat Azovmash. It was a shock - Azovmash was the champion. Then we learned that the first team was fined 50% for this defeat. It turned out, we acted ugly with our older comrades.
- And then you showed the middle finger in the direction of Azovmash.
- Let me finally tell you who I showed this finger to. I played for Donetsk, we lost a very nervous and important game in the very end. I had very bad emotions. I turned around and walked towards the locker room instead of going to shake hands with the Azovmash players. The Lithuanian Serapinas shouted to me: “Come here. Shake my hand." So I gave him the middle finger.
Him, not Azovmash. After all, this team gave me a ticket to the future. The name of this club is very important for me. I didn't mean anything bad.
– See the light at the end of the tunnel for modern Ukrainian basketball? - The light will be visible when the military conflict ends. It is because of this that the crisis in our basketball came. Many sponsors have stopped investing in basketball. I see that the clubs are uncertain, but they are already starting to recruit foreigners.
The positive of the crisis is that many young Ukrainian players have revealed themselves. Previously, they were hindered by legionnaires or more experienced Ukrainians who played in their place. Now the clubs have begun to pay attention to youth basketball. A great example is Dnipro. This club is now staffed by 60 percent of its pupils. This is the future of Ukrainian basketball.
– You said that you need to create a trade union that would protect Ukrainian basketball players. From what? - In Ukraine, only those players who have serious agents are protected. The rest are not protected in any way.
An injured player may be forced to train under the threat of non-payment of wages. It is rarely written where you will be given an apartment, how many training sessions should be per day, what temperature in the gym, equipment. In all large countries, these issues are dealt with by the trade union. He is even building a future pension fund.
- Will you have a pension after playing in Italy? - Yes. The union withholds a small amount from my salary. This is a very meager percentage that is invested in a long-term investment. But at the end of my career, I can take a large amount from there. Figuratively speaking, you give one percent of the salary, and over time they give you 3-4.
- Have you ever felt insecure? - I have always been represented by serious agents. Clubs don't want to quarrel with them.
But I talk to ordinary guys - I know what the situation is in Ukraine. I'm afraid the players themselves will not be able to force club leaders to sign a secure contract. To do this, you need to arrange a small strike and give up several salaries. I doubt many people can handle it.
The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are something”
– In October 2014, you said: “Now I have more motivation to stay in the NBA than ever,” and a month later became a player of the Russian Avtodor. The reason - in a sharp weight loss? – Yes, I lost weight wrong. The diet was simple - no food and lots of exercise. It wasn't even a diet. I wanted to get into the NBA so badly that I actually starved and trained. He did not feel very well, but continued to starve. This is silly.
My immune system couldn't handle the stress. I went through training camp in the NBA, everything was fine. And at the most important moment, when the play-offs started, I got pneumonia. It is clear that I did not play a single game and returned home.
- When the war started, you said that you didn't know for sure what was going on in Ukraine. Do you know now? - I don't follow the news very closely. But in general terms, I know. Nothing nice happens. Although in the Dnieper, for example, people live as they used to live. Only the prices have gone up.
– Do you think it's normal to go to play in Russia during a military conflict? – I don't want to comment on this situation. This is too much politics. I can only say that I was not treated differently in Russia.
- Two of your friends went to war... - So, it's personal. Let's not go there.
– What do you do now in your free time? – I watch series, I play not so serious games on my iPad, I read a lot, I spend time with my wife, I play with my cat.
Even if you're a total beginner, you will still have the tools to experience the joy of fantasy basketball like millions do every year.
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We've got you covered with a detailed tour right here.
This is extremely useful knowledge that you can take with you in your real draft and use to your advantage, avoiding those "sliding" players until later rounds when you have a good idea that they will still be available.
2 PPG and 4.2 RPG in his third season in the NBA last year and looks to improve those averages this season. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
There are 15-point guards in those tiers combined. -- Moody
There's Sexton, who is bound to finish in the top 10 or 12 in usage rate this season, but has relatively zero buzz. Young, and arguably emergent, players from the likes of the Spurs (Devin Vassell, Tre Jones), Pacers (Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson), and Rockets (Alperen Sengun, rookie wings) are all somewhat discounted in drafts this season. -- McCormick
If you dig deeper, the origin of the draft lies in baseball - from 19For 21 years, Major League Baseball teams have been drafting players from the minor leagues. 
However, the first four draft picks are played in the "draft lottery". 
Each club is assigned a place in the first and second rounds. 
The rights to the players do not expire until the player signs a contract, so, for example, Atlanta still has the rights to 51-year-old Augusto Binelli, who was selected 30 years ago, but never came to the NBA, and Sacramento there are rights to the legendary Dejan Bodiroga, who ended his career back in 2007 and is considered the best player of our time, who never tried his hand at the NBA. 
So a player who enters the draft is sure to become a professional after him - in the NBA or another league. He can continue his education in college (if he finds time for this in the busy schedule of the NBA), but will lose his athletic scholarship, will be forced to pay his own tuition and will no longer be able to play for university sports teams. 
In addition, on the day of the draft itself, many picks also go in exchanges: someone wants to "rise" in the draft and exchange several lower picks for one higher one, someone wants to get a young player and exchange one of their basketball players for the right to choose another club in the draft. 
Usually the number of invitations varies from 15 to 20. Each player is allocated a table "in the stalls", where he sits with his family. 
Let's consider both options in more detail. 
To do this, he writes an official letter to the league office with the nomination of his candidacy. The vast majority of players are just such early entry players, for example, this year there are 84 of them, and about fifty will be among the coveted 60 numbers. 
Each person either goes there automatically after graduating from college or by age 22, or wants to do it earlier and applies. All NBA players - and generally all people over the age of 22 - were in the draft, just someone was selected, and someone was not. 
You don't really need to know how to play basketball. And at 22, we were all/will automatically be in the draft, even without any applications. 
I had it. He drafted me, I lived and ate with his family. He taught how to communicate with the representatives of the club, what to do, what not to do, how to joke. 
" They answer me: “Are you very tired?” 
When I signed with Indiana, I had another offer from Boston. But I chose a place that paid more. 
But no major conflict. 
This is the only person whose gaze during training starts to get nervous and sweat. Sloan is the person I respect the most in basketball. 
Sloan is very conservative. 
While LeBron lay down and the entire Cleveland team was having a minor heart attack, we scored two easy points. 
Then I had one of the best physical conditions in my career. After the NBA Summer League, I was in perfect shape. But the head coach decided to get by with those players who got a ticket to the World Cup. 
They left the group and imposed a fight on almost all teams. 
But there cannot be more than one team from one club in the league. Therefore, Mariupol was quickly assembled on the knee, which was announced in the Super League - in order to play the young. And several players from the first team were transferred there. 
The Lithuanian Serapinas shouted to me: “Come here. Shake my hand." So I gave him the middle finger. 
Clubs don't want to quarrel with them. 
And at the most important moment, when the play-offs started, I got pneumonia. It is clear that I did not play a single game and returned home. 
