Who Should Be the First Pick in 2024-25 NBA Season?

The 2024-25 NBA season is right around the corner, which means it’s just about that time when Fantasy Basketball managers start preparing for the new year ahead.

There’s still well over a month until the regular season starts. But for avid fantasy basketball players, now is a good time to begin researching which players to target and establishing a draft strategy.

When it comes to drafting, there’s no better feeling than getting the first overall selection. Following another MVP campaign, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has typically been the first player to fly off the draft boards over the past few seasons.

But fantasy managers are going to be spoiled for choice this upcoming campaign with the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all coming off elite production last year.

With that said, who should be the first overall pick in NBA fantasy basketball this season?

Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Can’t go wrong with the best fantasy basketball player over the last four seasons

Nikola Jokic has been the top player in fantasy basketball since his first MVP season. So it’s definitely a safe bet that he will put up the best overall numbers in 2024-25.

The Nuggets superstar is a gem in category leagues. A nightly triple-double threat, fantasy managers can expect gaudy scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers from the 29-year-old center. Jokic has averaged 26.1 points over the last four seasons to go along with 12.2 rebounds, and 8.4 dimes. He has also averaged at least nine assists per game over the last two seasons.

Jokic is also ultra efficient from the field, generally shooting in the high 50s to low 60s on most nights. He is also a great freethrow shooter with decent volume; he has shot 82.8 percent on 5.8 attempts per game over the last four seasons. With his ability to stretch the floor, Jokic is also good for at least one three-pointer a game.

Jokic’s blocks are not that good for a big man, as he hasn’t averaged one block in a season throughout his career. Nonetheless, having averaged at least a steal per game in nearly every campaign of his career, he still makes decent contributions on the defensive end.

Jokic’s durability is also what makes him a terrific option for the first pick. Joel Embiid finished last season as the No. 1 player on a per game basis. But the Philadelphia 76ers superstar appeared in just 31 games. Jokic, meanwhile, appeared in 79 games, which is the reason why he finished atop the fantasy rankings at the end of the year.

Other younger players are on the come up for Jokic’s crown as the king of fantasy basketball. But it doesn’t seem like the three-time MVP is about to slow down anytime soon.

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama put up unfathomable numbers in his rookie season

Victor Wembanyama like everybody’s favorite new toy in fantasy basketball, and it’s hard to blame them. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year finished in the top-five in his debut campaign and his numbers are only projected to skyrocket in Year 2.

Undoubtedly, Wembanyama’s shot blocking is his greatest asset. Blocks are one of the harder categories to find and having Wembanyama can single-handedly win fantasy managers that category.

The 7-foot-4 center led the league in blocks last season, tallying a total of 254 with an average of 3.6 blocks per game. He was the only player to accumulate at least 200 blocks, with Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren tallying 190 swats. Wembanyama also averaged 1.2 steals, which all the more makes him an elite source of stocks.

Wembanyama is also a nightly double-double threat and could also be a decent source of assists and three-pointers from the center position. He averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers last season.

After the All-Star break, the French phenom’s numbers were even better.

Wemby’s efficiency is where he needs to show improvement in his fantasy game. He shot just 46.5 percent from the field, which is not good for a big man. He also shot 79.8 percent from the foul line, which is just average, considering he puts up a decent volume at just over five attempts a night.

Nonetheless, Wembanyama doesn’t have any real holes in fantasy. His percentages aren’t at the level where they’ll be detrimental to a team and he provides elite numbers across the board, especially on the defensive end.

Wembanyama already put up unfathomable numbers in his rookie season. It’s hard to envision just how godly his stats will look like in Year 2.

Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks

Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has been a consistent first-round target in fantasy drafts since as early as his sophomore season. Like Jokic, Doncic is a nightly triple-double threat with his ability to rack up the boards and dimes.

The five-time First Team All-NBA guard led the league in scoring last season at 33.9 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting from the field. Doncic also connected on a career-high 38.1 percent from beyond the arc with 4.1 makes per game and finished second in the NBA in three-pointers made behind Stephen Curry.

Doncic may not have a good reputation defensively, but he can contribute in the steals department, as he has averaged 1.4 steals per game over the last couple of seasons.

Perhaps the biggest knock on the 25-year-old’s fantasy game is his freethrow shooting. Doncic has shot below 75 percent from the foul line in four of his six seasons so far. Considering the volume of freethrows he takes, he could really anchor that category down. However, Doncic did shoot a career-best 78.6 percent last season, which is still average but a good step in the right direction.

Nonetheless, Doncic is still a fine selection for the first overall pick, especially if he’s your favorite player. He’s an exciting player to roster because he can rack up the stats in a hurry. Heck, he might even drop 73 one night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Gilgeous-Alexander ranked No. 2 in fantasy basketball last year

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished second behind Jokic in category leagues last season, so you can’t go wrong with him as the first overall pick. The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar has been a fantasy gem over the last couple of years because of his all-around production and elite efficiency.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished third in points per game (30.1) and was second behind Doncic in total points (2,254). He also tied for first in total steals with Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox. SGA is also good for five rebounds and six assists on a nightly basis and has good shot blocking numbers for a guard.

Perhaps Gilgeous-Alexander’s best asset is his efficiency. He shot 53.5 percent from the field and converted 87.4 percent from the freethrow line. Unlike Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander can help you win the freethrow category thanks to his volume from the charity stripe. He averaged 8.7 attempts per game last season and finished second in the league in total FTA.

Gilgeous-Alexander also had low turnover numbers. He averaged just 2.2 turnovers, while the three aforementioned candidates averaged at least three giveaways a night.

Because of his affinity for the mid-range, Gilgeous-Alexander won’t give you a lot of three-pointers, which is the only downside of his fantasy game. Nonetheless, he still knocks down the occasional three every now and then.

Verdict: Victor Wembanyama

Hard to pass up on the budding Spurs superstar

If you had the first pick, it’s going to be extremely hard to pass up on Wembanyama. His numbers after the All-Star break were likely indicative of what he’ll put up in his sophomore year, or perhaps, even better.

The 7-foot-4 behemoth was averaging nearly five swats a game, which is unheard of. As mentioned, he alone can win you blocks for a week.

With a Hall of Fame point guard in Chris Paul setting the table for him, expect his efficiency to improve, which will all the more raise his fantasy value.

So, don’t think you’re just buying into the hype if you’re still having second thoughts about drafting Victor Wembanyama. This is all real.

Stats and rankings courtesy of Basketball Reference and Hashtag Basketball