Now that the fantasy basketball season has come to a close, we reached out to five of our experts for their take on the Most Valuable and Least Valuable players in fantasy this season.
Who exceeded their draft-day value the most? And who failed to live up to the lofty expectations?
Here are Andre Snellings, Eric Karabell, Eric Moody, Steve Alexander and Jim McCormick with their MVPs and LVPs.
Who is your Most Valuable Player this season?
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: Wembanyama was the No. 15 pick in ESPN ADP, and he is going to finish among the top 10 points format scorers playing half the season as a teenager. Incredible! Each of the players ahead of him were also drafted ahead of him. What an amazing success story and perhaps not the last time he is fantasy’s MVP. Kudos to
Griffin was selected first overall by the LA Clippers out of Oklahoma in the 2009 draft. His time in Los Angeles got off to a rough start, as he broke the patella in his left knee during the preseason.
Griffin came back the following season and won the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year Award and made the first of five straight All-Star appearances. He also won the Slam Dunk Contest that season after slamming over a parked car.
His high-flying highlights became the calling card of the Clippers, who really took off in the 2011-12 season with the addition of point guard Chris Paul.
The acquisition of Paul and his penchant for alley-oop passes to Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan transformed the Clippers into Lob City, and ushered
Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is finalizing a long-term deal to become the next coach at Brigham Young University, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
Young — the highest paid assistant in the NBA — had been a significant candidate for league head coaching jobs in the past two hiring cycles, but BYU landed him with a sizable commitment to lead the Cougars into their second Big 12 Conference season and beyond.
Young replaces Mark Pope, who left for the Kentucky job after delivering BYU an NCAA tournament bid in their inaugural Big 12 season.
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Young, who was born in Salt Lake City, will continue working with the Suns in the playoffs, but will begin assembling a coaching staff that’ll immediately start recruiting for BYU, sources said.
Young spent eight years coaching in the NBA G League —
Team USA is finalizing a 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball roster that includes several of the generation’s iconic players, including the Lakers’ LeBron James, Warriors’ Stephen Curry, Suns’ Kevin Durant and 76ers’ Joel Embiid, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Team USA managing director Grant Hill is keeping one roster slot open ahead of a July training camp and exhibition games in Las Vegas, sources said.
With 1:30 left in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks on April 2 and the Warriors holding a 98-92 lead, Mavericks guard Luka Doncic feigned a dribble penetration from the top of the 3-point line before dishing the ball to guard Kyrie Irving. As Warriors forward Draymond Green roamed the paint, Irving sidestepped the defending Andrew Wiggins, took two steps toward Green and then passed to center Daniel Gafford near the baseline.
Just as quickly, Green changed his positioning and met Gafford at the rim for a spectacular two-handed block. Green ripped the rebound away from Irving, firing up the Chase Center crowd, with the Warriors then holding on
Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The star offensive lineman is on the Steelers’ radar
The Steelers need to finish replenishing their offensive line before September rolls around, and they certainly have the draft capital to take a couple swings on a center and an offensive tackle. Today, they’ll be hosting one of the most versatile offensive linemen in this draft class.
The Steelers are hosting Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton for a pre-draft visit. They are also hosting North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson.
The #Steelers are hosting #Duke OL Graham Barton and #NCState LB Payton Wilson for pre-draft visits today.
Barton is one of many offensive lineman in this class who are projected to make a move from tackle to the interior at the NFL level, and he could be the Steelers’ next center should they draft him next week.
Barton was named by Mel Kiper Jr. as a guy who teams can “plug and play” at center, and he showed great ability in college as both a zone blocker in the run game, something the Steelers will be doing a lot of in Arthur Smith’s offense.
The Steelers don’t have a starting caliber center on the roster, and if Barton is sitting there at No. 20 when the Steelers are on the clock, he could very well be the pick.
Jordi Fernandez has emerged as the Brooklyn Nets‘ choice to become the franchise’s next coach, separating himself amid a wide, monthlong search that now has the Nets prepared to hire the Sacramento Kings‘ top assistant, sources told ESPN on Monday night.
Fernandez, 41, has been a fast-rising coaching candidate in the past two years and will land the Nets’ head-coaching job, sources said.
Fernandez will take over a Nets franchise that completed a 32-50 season under interim coach Kevin Ollie — its fifth coach since 2020.
The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, but are hopeful treatment on his left calf strain will allow him to return sometime later in the series, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo has been undergoing around-the-clock treatment on the calf, sources said.
The third-seeded Bucks open the series against the sixth-seeded Pacers on Sunday in Milwaukee. The Pacers won four of five regular-season games against the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo missed the final three regular-season games after crumpling to the floor with a noncontact injury a week ago against the Boston Celtics.
Antetokounmpo ended the regular season averaging 30.4 points on a career-best 61% shooting with 11.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He’s the first player in NBA history to average 30
Most mock drafts you will see are built around projections. What do we think the team will do? But in this version, I wanted to switch it up — this is what they should do, in a perfect world.
For starters, they should trade for a wide receiver. Sure, easier said than done.
But as we currently stand, they’ve pigeonholed themselves into drafting an offensive tackle, center, and receiver – and starting all three in week one. That’s not a great recipe for a team that’s all in right now. Here are some names that I’ll throw out there:
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
That Raiders team isn’t going anywhere. They should be smart enough to know that (but they are the Raiders so maybe not). Meyers is a perfect number two option. Last season he had 71 receptions for 807 yards and eight TDs. He’s a natural chains mover. If it takes overpaying, such as offering a third-round pick in 2025, it’s worth it given the win-now mentality of this organization.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
He’s the best receiver on the Denver Broncos, and this is another team in transition. Earlier this offseason Denver traded WR Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns for a 2024 5th and 6th-round pick.
I’d bet my house a 2024 second-rounder, which is probably too steep, gets this done. And he’s familiar with Russell Wilson, of course. News broke Tuesday morning that Sutton did not report for voluntary workouts as he seeks a new contract; it could be a good time for the Steelers to swoop in.
If the Steelers trade for a wideout, the impact it will have on their draft will be significant. And building around that idea, here’s the latest version I assembled. Hypothetically, the Steelers have traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to acquire Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers. Now, it’s time to get weird.
TRADE: Pittsburgh trades picks 20 and 98 to Dallas for picks 24 and 56 (this was proposed to me in PFN’s mock draft simulator)
Round 1, pick 24: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
If the opportunity presents itself, Pittsburgh should move down and acquire more equity.
The Steelers should draft an offensive tackle in round one. Guyton is the last tackle in the top tier, which means he can be an immediate starter. Standing at 6’7, his size, length, and power make him a high-ceiling prospect with plenty of traits to drool over. His hand placement could use some work, but for what he lacks in technique, he makes up for in pure athleticism.
The Steelers have shown interest in the likes of Georgia OT Amarius Mims, Washington’s Troy Fautanu – and Guyton. That’s the best bang for their buck in round one.
TRADE: Pittsburgh trades picks 51, 84, and a 2025 4th to Green Bay for picks 41 and 126
The Steelers should trade up to ensure they get their last missing puzzle piece on the offensive line — a center. They can’t risk missing out on Frazier, who continues to be mocked higher than most of us originally thought he’d be drafted.
The former all-state wrestler has the exact type of mean streak you want in the anchor of your line. Similar to Guyton, he’s the last in the tier of top centers – and Pittsburgh needs to address the position early or it’s probably going to be Nate Herbig, who didn’t take a snap last year at center, holding down that spot. Yuck.
Round 2, pick 56: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson
In this exercise, the black and gold have addressed receiver, offensive tackle, and center. Not a bad start. This leaves them with some flexibility.
Orhorhoro is extremely versatile and has three years of starting experience. In those three years, he amassed 25.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He’s much more than just a space eater. He played basketball for the majority of his career and didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school – so he has plenty of untapped potential.
Round 4, pick 119: Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Waiting until pick 119 to address a large need isn’t ideal, but once again, they have more important holes to fill. And if they get Hart here, it’s one of the steals of the draft.
Entering the ring at 6’2, Hart is a massive corner who uses his size to dominate on contested catches. Over the years Pittsburgh has generally preferred bigger corners like Hart. He will certainly have their attention.
The Steelers are comfortable with Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson holding down the top two corner spots, and don’t forget about last year’s camp standout Corey Trice returning from injury.
Round 4, pick 126: Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
Even after trading for a receiver, the Steelers generally can’t help themselves when it comes to adding to that room via the draft. Assuming someone like Meyers or Sutton may be a short-term fix, Washington could be a big part of their future.
Although he’s roughly the same height as Calvin Austin III (5’8), the two are much different players. Washington is 30 pounds heavier and is a reliable chain mover who can be much more than just a gadget.
Round 6, pick 178: Sione Vaki, S, Utah
Sione Vaki’s stock is descending due to a poor combine in which he ran a 4.62 forty-yard dash. However, there’s no question he’s one of the most interesting prospects in the class.
He was always a productive player in Utah’s secondary. But last year, after multiple injuries at the running back position, Vaki was moved to the backfield and played two ways for the Utes! He ran for 317 yards and averaged 7.5 yards per carry.
Despite the slow forty time, this dude is a fun project, and the sixth round is the perfect spot to take a shot on the upside. The Steelers had an informal meeting with Vaki at the combine, so they are familiar with him.
Round 6, pick 195: Edefuan Ulofashio, LB, Washington
The Steelers have a lot of needs, and they aren’t going to fill all of them. But taking a solid coverage linebacker in the sixth round is responsible.
Edefuan Ulofashio was a zero-star recruit in the 2018 class and only had two FCS offers out of high school. He eventually walked on at Washington and became an impact player. He’s an incredibly battle-tested, high-character player, and I wouldn’t put making the team past him.
Here’s the new look Steelers offense:
QB: Russell Wilson
RB: Najee Harris/Jaylen Warren
WR: George Pickens, Jakobi Meyers, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III/Malik Washington
TE: Pat Freiermuth
RT: Tyler Guyton
RG: James Daniels
C: Zach Frazier
LG: Isaac Seumalo
LT: Broderick Jones
Is all of this far-fetched? Of course. But so was acquiring Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. So who the heck knows what could happen?
Please ship this to Omar Khan and include postage.
