Fantasy Basketball Draft Lessons: Top takeaways from the NBA High Score Creator League

The NBA season tips off next week, and I just wrapped a 14-team draft for the NBA High Score Creator League, with 13 of the Association's top creators. Shoutout to Ben of NBA Recap Pod for taking the crown last year, but it's a new season, with new entrants and more competition.

If you're new to High Score, I have a 101 for you, but here's the quick version: you draft 10 players and start six of them (G, G, FC, FC, FC, Util), and only each starter's best game of the week counts toward your score. Scoring is 1 point per point and rebound, 2 per assist and 3 per steal and block. Turnovers don't count at all. We randomized the draft order before the start (trust me, I rarely get the No. 1 pick).

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Here are my takeaways from the draft and what it means for those approaching draft weekend.

All rankings referenced below are my High Score rankings, and ADP is Yahoo's as of Oct. 15.

Round 1

The first round was about as clean as it gets. The first 12 picks were the same 12 players at the top of my High Score board, just in a slightly different order. Seeing Luka go third overall could be a subtle value grab in this format, as only he and Nikola Jokić averaged more than 60 fantasy points per game (FPPG) last season. Cooper Flagg at No. 9 stood out as a pick that makes even more sense in this format than in others. His best game each week averaged 31% more fantasy points than his typical game as a rookie last season, the biggest gap of any first-round pick. The way Flagg's looked in the preseason, the usage and production could push his value to that of a mid-first rather than a late-first rounder.

My pick:Nikola Jokić at No. 1 was an easy call. He averaged 68.6 FPPG last season, the highest in the game. Assists count double in this format, and his 9.8 projected assists alone are worth almost 20 points a night. Jokić will consistently push for 70-point fantasy outings this season and should be the top choice in High Score.

Round 2

Stephen Curry going 19th was the biggest tell that this room knew the format. In our Yahoo points mock draft, Curry lasted until pick 36. In High Score, a 40-point night carries his whole week, so the off nights and potential rest/injury days won't hurt as much. Deni Avdija made a similar jump (21st here, 39th in points), though he's 35th on my board, so that one was a bit early for me, considering how much guard depth surrounds him this season.

Nick Knows Ball taking Trae Young at 20 was one of my favorite picks of the round. Trae's 10.1 projected assists are worth more than 20 points a game here, with no turnovers to worry about. I have him 13th in this format, and his overall Yahoo ADP is 24.0.

My pick: I got sniped a few times, so I went with Paolo Banchero. He's always a better option for points leagues and my projections have him at 24.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. I have him 23rd on my board, so getting him at 28 felt like a solid consolation after missing out on a few high-end assist guards who fell like LaMelo Ball.

Round 3

Here's the biggest takeaway from this draft: the frontcourt run started in Round 3, and it was A LOT. From pick 35 through 45, 11 straight FC-only players went off the board: Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Miller, Domantas Sabonis, Chet Holmgren, Anthony Davis, Franz Wagner, LeBron James, Jalen Duren, Joel Embiid, Walker Kessler and Cameron Boozer. That makes sense in a format with three FC starting spots and only two G spots. Over the whole draft, 67 FC-only players were taken compared with 49 G-only players. I like the dual-eligibility guys; more on that later.

Two of the draft's best values came in the middle of that run. IsoScoring got Anthony Davis at 39, and I have him 17th in High Score. Makeshift Hoops got LeBron at 41, and I have him 24th. I'm only projecting about 59 games for AD, but that matters less in High Score. If he plays at least once in a week, you get his best game.

Bjorn Broman also built the most playmaking-heavy team in the league, pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo with Josh Giddey (23) and James Harden (34). With assists worth double, that's a smart way to build.

My pick:Amen Thompson is the kind of guard I want in High Score. He's G-eligible but plays like a big, with 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks projected. Steals and blocks are worth 3 points each, so his stocks alone add about 8 points a game. He was also the last guard left in my top 30.

Round 4

The frontcourt run spilled into Round 4. Embiid went 43rd, 15 picks earlier than in our points mock, and that's the format at work. His availability is the whole debate in most leagues, but in High Score you only need one game a week from him.

Strictly BBall made Boozer the first rookie off the board at 45, and Bjorn Broman took Donovan Clingan at 51. Both went well ahead of where I have them (68th and 79th). Kon Knueppel at 52 is another one to note. He fell to pick 81 in our points mock, but here he went 29 picks earlier, and his best game each week averaged 32% more than his typical game last season. Clearly, Graphsketball has minimal concerns about Kon's hamstring as we inch closer to opening night.

Connor Printz got good value with Kyrie Irving at 54. I have him 36th. 

My pick: The point guard run of Keyonte George, Kyrie Irving and Darius Garland hurt my queue, so I went with one of my potential breakout candidates, Matas Buzelis. Last season, his best game each week averaged 35% more fantasy points than his typical game, well above the league average (about 29%). His 1.6 projected blocks help him get there. I project him for 50.6 points in his best game each week, more than Franz Wagner, Boozer and Clingan, who all went ahead of him.

Round 5

Bigs kept going in Round 5, with nine FC-only picks out of 14. Kel'el Ware, Ivica Zubac, Jaren Jackson Jr., Alex Sarr and Jarrett Allen all went in this frame. Zion Williamson at 63 is another example of the health discount shrinking. He went 16 picks earlier than in our points mock.

Jason Zone Fisher added Pascal Siakam at 58 and finished with six FC-only players around Victor Wembanyama, the most frontcourt-heavy build in the league. Dejounte Murray at 64 was one of the best values in this round. I have him 53rd.

My pick:Nickeil Alexander-Walker gave me a second high-ceiling player at the turn. His best game each week averaged 32% more than his typical game last season. He's also one of the most durable guards, with 76 games projected, so he'll be in my lineup almost every week. Go Hokies. 

Round 6

NBA Recap Pod (Ben) got Ja Morant at 77. I have him 60th in this format, and he went well ahead of his overall Yahoo ADP (88.9). Morant is a good fit for High Score. I'm only projecting 58.5 games, but one big night a week is all you need from him. It will be interesting to see if he continues to come off the bench and how that could impact his playing time.

Dylan Harper at 72 went 24 picks earlier than in our points mock. His best game each week averaged 39% more than his typical game last season, one of the biggest gaps in this draft. Lucas Burns taking Ty Jerome at 78 was the biggest reach of the round by my board (93rd). I think it's smart, though, because I'm likely too low on Jerome in High Score given how well he played in limited time last year and how good he looks running the Memphis offense in the preseason. 

My pick:Coby White was the best guard left on my board, and I got him 12 spots after where I have him ranked (72nd). He projects for 20.8 points and 5.3 assists in Charlotte. With two IL spots, I plan to stash White there if he's not ready by the start of the season. It's always good to give yourself some flexibility to test the waiver wire. Those who scooped up Ryan Rollins early got one of the best values of last season. 

Round 7

Another frontcourt mini-run hit from picks 86 through 90: Jaden McDaniels, Zach Edey, Paul George, Derik Queen and Mikal Bridges. Edey went 23 picks later than in our points mock, but in High Score he's a sneaky value if he stays healthy — which is a big if. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. at 97 and RJ Barrett at 98 both went a little after where I have them (83rd and 81st respectively). Barrett is great in points leagues. Mikal Bridges is the NBA's Ironman, but he averaged fewer than 30 FPPG in High Score last year. Durability and efficiency are his calling cards and those skill sets play better in 9-cat formats.

My pick:Cedric Coward gives me flexibility. He's eligible at G and FC, so he can slide into whichever slot I need that week. His best game each week averaged 32% more than his typical game as a rookie last season, and I'm projecting 16.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in Year 2. In retrospect, I should've taken Jaden McDaniels there.

Round 8

Strictly BBall added rookie Darryn Peterson at 101 to join Boozer and AJ Dybantsa, making it the league's most rookie-heavy roster. I like the confidence and selecting the top three picks of the 2026 NBA Draft is pretty fun. Graphsketball took a swing on Jimmy Butler III at 108. My projections only have him for 36 games, but in this format, that's less of a problem than it would be in points. Like I'm doing with Coby White, you may as well use the IL spot you're afforded.

Collin Murray-Boyles at 100 and Brandin Podziemski at 103 are players that I'm targeting across formats. The dual-eligibility players made a run in this round, with seven of the 24 guard-and-frontcourt-eligible players going in round 8.

My pick: I took Jaime Jaquez Jr. for the same reason as Coward: G/FC eligibility. That was a bit early by my own board (124th), but his production is spread across every column: 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and nearly a steal per game.

Round 9

The bigs went off the board again from picks 122 through 126: Neemias Queta, Myles Turner, Khaman Maluach, John Collins and Aaron Gordon. Turner is the one I'd avoid. He's a shell of his former self and while he may play well to force a trade, he hasn't looked good enough in the preseason for me to take a chance on him in any format. Queta is a player to watch because Mitchell Robinson looks like a legitimate threat to start and eating into his minutes. 

Egor Dëmin at 120 was a fun late swing for NBA Recap Pod (Ben). As well as Lucas Burns taking Yaxel Lendeborg — one of the biggest risers of the preseason.

My pick: Reaching for scraps in assists and steals, so I went with Davion Mitchell. His Yahoo ADP is 118.7, but I have him 108th. I like him in this format, but I'd also have no issue dropping him if he doesn't hit early.

Round 10

With only 10 roster spots, many useful players went undrafted. From my top 140, Jonathan Kuminga, Collin Gillespie, DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, Tre Jones and Kristaps Porziņģis are all still on waivers. In a High Score league, the waiver wire will be loaded all season, so don't be afraid to cycle through your bench. Though, stashing Porziņģis seems like a stretch given what we know about his medical situation.

My pick: With the last pick, I wanted a dual-eligible starter and that happened to be Quentin Grimes, giving me three dual-eligible wings to plug in wherever I need them.

And that's the draft. Follow the NBA High Score Creator League all season long to see who takes down the championship.