Fantasy Basketball 2024: Early-Round Rankings and NBA Mock Draft Analysis

There are myriad factors—and usually a good amount of luck—that go into a successful, championship-winning fantasy basketball season.

Virtually all of the paths to a league title, though, involve nailing your early picks.

That's when you have access to the biggest and brightest stars in the NBA. That's also when all of your leaguemates will be stockpiling stars, too, so you can't afford to get left behind.

We're here to help make sure that doesn't happen, so we'll lay out our top 30 rankings, run through three rounds of a mock draft using FantasyPros' mock simulator and finally highlight a few takeaways from that mock.

Top 30 Player Rankings

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SAN ANTONIO, TX - SEPTEMBER 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs poses at San Antonio Spurs Media Day at the Victory Capital Performance Center on September 30, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

1. Nikola Jokić, C, Denver Nuggets

2. Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

3. Luka Dončić, PG, Dallas Mavericks

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder

5. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

6. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks

7. Tyreese Haliburton, PG/SG, Indiana Pacers

8. Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks

9. Jayson Tatum, SF/PF, Boston Celtics

10. Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Sacramento Kings

11. Anthony Davis, PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers

12. Anthony Edwards, SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves

13. Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks

14. LeBron James, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers

15. Donovan Mitchell, PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers

16. Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies

17. Kevin Durant, PF, Phoenix Suns

18. De'Aaron Fox, PG, Sacramento Kings

19. Devin Booker, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns

20. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors

21. Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers

22. Scottie Barnes, SG/SF/PF, Toronto Raptors

23. Pascal Siakam, PF, Indiana Pacers

24. Alperen Şengün, C, Houston Rockets

25. James Harden, PG/SG, Los Angeles Clippers

26. LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets

27. Paolo Banchero, SF/PF, Orlando Magic

28. Damian Lillard, PG, Milwaukee Bucks

29. Cade Cunningham, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons

30. Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder

Mock Draft

Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 26 : Nikola Jokic poses for a portrait during Nuggets Media Day at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, September 26, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

First round

1. Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

2. Nikola Jokić, C, Denver Nuggets

3. Luka Dončić, PG, Dallas Mavericks

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder

5. Tyreese Haliburton, PG/SG, Indiana Pacers

6. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks

7. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

8. Anthony Davis, PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers

9. Jayson Tatum, SF/PF, Boston Celtics

10. Anthony Edwards, SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves

11. Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Sacramento Kings

12. Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks

Second round

13. James Harden, PG/SG, Los Angeles Clippers

14. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors

15. Kevin Durant, PF, Phoenix Suns

16. Devin Booker, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns

17. Donovan Mitchell, PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers

18. LeBron James, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers

19. Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder

20. Damian Lillard, PG, Milwaukee Bucks

21. Kyrie Irving, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

22. Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks

23. Paul George, SF/PF, Philadelphia 76ers

24. Scottie Barnes, SG/SF/PF, Toronto Raptors

Third round

25. De'Aaron Fox, PG, Sacramento Kings

26. LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets

27. Alperen Şengün, C, Houston Rockets

28. Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat

29. Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers

30. Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers

31. Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies

32. Paolo Banchero, SF/PF, Orlando Magic

33. Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, New York Knicks

34. Cade Cunningham, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons

35. Lauri Markkanen, SF/PF, Utah Jazz

36. Jimmy Butler, SG/SF, Miami Heat

Mock Draft Takeaways

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EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: LeBron James #23 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers pose for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 30, 2024 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

Safety is the aim in Round 1.

If you're able to choose your selection spot, aim for the upper half of the first round. That's where you'll find the fewest question marks, which is what you want to avoid with your top choice.

The first six picks—Wembanyama, Jokić, Dončić, Gilgeous-Alexander, Haliburton and Antetokounmpo—are arguably the safest on the board. Things turn after that, though, whether it's due to injury concerns (Embiid, Davis) or players who don't quite produce at that same superstar level (Tatum, Edwards, Sabonis and Young).

The benefit of getting an earlier pick in the second round isn't worth the cost of missing out on a true elite.

Big swings in Round 2.

If you're open to gambling, Round 2 is a great place to do it.

Maybe you think Harden will cook on the Kawhi-less Clippers or Durant will manage to avoid injuries for the second consecutive season after having the previous four greatly impacted by them. This is where you make those wagers. It's also where you can bet on James continuing to evade the aging curve, Irving staying on the floor, Lillard finding comfort in Milwaukee or Holmgren making the sophomore leap.

If gambling isn't your thing, there are plenty of safe options here, too, like Curry, Booker, Mitchell and Brunson.

Round 3 might make or break a lot of teams.

Barring injury, there's a decent chance your first two picks will bring back All-Stars. Get to round three, though, and that's where things get a little harder to predict.

Can Ball, Leonard or Butler finally stay healthy? Will Morant finally stay on the floor? Is there another production level Adebayo, Banchero or Cunningham can reach? Can Şengün stay on his rising-star trajectory with so many other budding ballers around him in Houston?

None of these questions can be easily answered right now, which might make the third round as exciting as any in this fantasy draft season.