Top fantasy basketball picks disappoint in 2024-25 season

Fantasy basketball can be tricky. What seems like a sure pick can turn out to be a big disappointment. Analyst Dan Titus highlighted some of the worst choices from the first ten rounds of the 2024-25 NBA season. In Round 1, Joel Embiid stood out as a major miss. Despite being a former MVP, Embiid struggled with injuries, playing only 19 games. His numbers were decent, but not impressive enough for fantasy managers who expected more. LaMelo Ball was a letdown in Round 2. The Charlotte Hornets faced injuries, which hurt their team performance. Ball ended up ranked 55th, falling short of expectations. Round 3 saw Lauri Markkannen from the Utah Jazz as a disappointment. He played only 47 of 72 games and his performance dropped significantly. His team’s struggles impacted his value as a player. Immanuel Quickley, drafted in Round 4, also underperformed. His injury issues became a problem for fantasy teams that relied on him. Concerns linger about his future value as he competes with other players for scoring and assists. Brandon Ingram was a notable miss in Round 5. Injuries kept him off the court since December 17. His mid-season trade didn't help his motivation or fantasy value. In Round 6, Jrue Holiday's contributions dropped across the board. He became a less valuable option for fantasy teams, performing like a 10th-round pick instead. Jusuf Nurkić, chosen in Round 7, failed to deliver. After losing his starting role, he was traded mid-season but remained ineffective for fantasy owners. Terry Rozier in Round 8 was another poor choice. His performance was the worst of his career, leading many to drop him early in the season. Round 9 featured Alex Caruso, who was overvalued. While he is known for steals, his scoring and efficiency declined. Caruso's role mostly turned him into a player that teams would stream rather than rely on. Finally, in Round 10, Marcus Smart was a letdown. Drafted widely, his injury risks and bench role in Washington limited his success in fantasy leagues this season.