Rookies to consider drafting in 2023-24 fantasy basketball

It’s hard to gauge how successful rookies will be when they first take the floor in the NBA, which makes it difficult to determine where to draft them in fantasy basketball leagues. Here’s a look at five rookies you should consider for your league as the 2023-24 season approaches.

Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

ESPN ADP: 24.1
DKNetwork Top 100 rank: 40

It’s easy to buy into the hype surrounding the No. 1 overall pick from the 2023 NBA Draft. There’s questions about how much San Antonio will put on his plate, and his injury outlook isn’t exactly favorable given his physical traits and style of play. As long as he can stay healthy though, he’s going to win Rookie of the Year. The Spurs have enough solid secondary players to provide Wembanyama with support, which means a relatively decent offensive system. He should be drafted in every league.

Brandon Miller, SF, Charlotte Hornets

ESPN ADP: 118
DKNetwork Top 100 rank: 96

Summer League was rough for Miller, but he’s still likely to start for a Hornets team that doesn’t do much defending. That means a lot of points and an offense built on generating as many possessions as possible. If there’s one thing Miller can do well right away, it’s score the basketball. Charlotte might be in the play-in mix if things go right, which means the potential of Miller being shut down late in the season is minimized. He’s worth a flier late in drafts.

Scoot Henderson, PG, Portland Trail Blazers

ESPN ADP: 69.8
DKNetwork Top 100 rank: 61

Henderson should start for Portland, though I’d be cautious about how much of a role he’s going to have offensively. Anfernee Simons is the established scorer at the moment and Deandre Ayton is going to command some touches on the interior. Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe are decent secondary options. Henderson might be more of a distributor in his rookie season, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That will impact his fantasy value though.

Anthony Black, PG, Orlando Magic

ESPN ADP: 140.3
DKNetwork Top 100 rank: N/A

There’s a reason Orlando took the combo guard with its first lottery selection. Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs appear to be the preferred backcourt combination for now, but there’s a good chance Black breaks through that duo and claims a starting spot. We’ll see how the usage breaks down with Paolo Banchero expected to be the lead initiator, but Black might be worth stashing late in drafts if you have enough firepower from earlier rounds.

Gradey Dick, SF, Toronto Raptors

ESPN ADP: 139.2
DKNetwork Top 100 rank: N/A

The Raptors are in a bit of interesting situation. They are trying to win but their salary cap sheet and the league rumor mill suggests they could be sellers at the deadline if things don’t pan out. That leaves Dick in a bit of an uncertain position as a bench shooter, but he’s going to see decent playing time right away. If the Raptors clear out some players, Dick could be in line for an even bigger role. He’s worth stashing late in drafts as someone you can play in a pinch.