[OT] EnWorld Fantasy Basketball

Brother Shatterstone · Sep 9, 2003

Black Omega said:
Do leagues normally do a draft, or do we bid on players? I've seen both in other types of leagues.

I hope draft as I don't need to see the same players on every team.

Black Omega · Sep 9, 2003

Actually, the way we did it in another league I was in is everyone had 400 points to spend as 'salary' and bid on players. So, no worries about the same players on every team. But if you want Shaq, you'll be paying alot for him.

The Sigil · Sep 9, 2003

Black Omega said:
Actually, the way we did it in another league I was in is everyone had 400 points to spend as 'salary' and bid on players. So, no worries about the same players on every team. But if you want Shaq, you'll be paying alot for him.

IIRC, the way we did it last year was via a draft. The draft order is determined once the number and names of teams is finalized (e.g., if the cutoff date is 9/30 and 14 people sign up by 9/30, the Yahoo sports site will generate a 14-team random order snake draft (i.e., he who picks 1st in round 1 picks 14th in round 2).

You then have some time (usually measured in weeks) to set up your preference in picking players (e.g., ranking the players you want in order from 1 to 353 or whatever - the computer has a default ranking based on last year's stats, and you can move them around - and you don't have to rank all 353 - you could, for example, organize your top 50 and leave the rest in the default order).

On a designated day (say, 10/20) the draft is automatically run by the computer. When your pick comes up, it drafts the highest-ranked player remaining on your list (e.g., last year I think I had the #5 pick in the first round and had Kevin Garnett ranked as my #1 choice - since he wasn't picked in the first 4 picks by other teams, he was picked at the #5 spot). It goes through 12 rounds, I believe, and fills your roster.

You then have the opportunity to make trades and FA signings (and cuts) if needed to fill your roster - maybe you have 10 SGs and no Cs and you need a Center. You start out with a "waiver priority" (kind of like a draft order - it determines which team gets first crack at FAs - I don't recall if it's in reverse order of the draft or random initially).

Each time you pick up a player, though, you move to the bottom of the priority rung. So, for instance, if you have top priority and for some reason Shaquille O'Neal doesn't get drafted, if five people try to sign him on day one, you will get him (because you get first shot at it). The next day, though, you're at the back of the line. Cuts and signings are processed daily, so if you have top priority and DON'T try to sign Shaquille on day one, you miss out if someone else gets him (now, Shaq WON'T be there - usually you're looking at marginal 8th-10th men and rookies at best by the time the draft is done and FAs can be processed).

Hope that helps... I also hope Yahoo puts up their site soon so you can see all the rules.

--The Sigil

Brother Shatterstone · Sep 9, 2003

sigil, awesome, I'm very use to that system.

ES2 · Sep 10, 2003

Definately. So when does the basketball season start? I just did a draft like that in my fantasy football league, but I know football better.

For the bball ones, how many players total are we all going to draft?

The Sigil · Sep 11, 2003

ES2 said:
Definately. So when does the basketball season start? I just did a draft like that in my fantasy football league, but I know football better.

For the bball ones, how many players total are we all going to draft?

Stats start accumulating on Day 1 of the NBA Regular Season.... which, IIRC, is October 29th or so (no later than Oct 31st). So I would imagine Yahoo will probably have their fantasy basketball page up no later than about October first.

As far as total players go...

IIRC, each team may have up to thirteen (possibly 12) active players on the roster. You select players to fill each of the following (10) positions on a daily basis.

PG (May be filled with a player whose position is "PG" or "G")
SG (May be filled with a player whose position is "SG" or "G" or "GF")
G (May be filled with a player whose position is "PG" or "SG" or "G" or "GF")
SF (May be filled with a player whose position is "GF" or "SF" or "F")
PF (May be filled with a player whose position is "PF" or "FC" or "F")
F (May be filled with a player whose position is "SF" or "GF" or "PF" or "FC")
C (May be filled with a player whose position is "FC" or "C")
C (May be filled with a player whose position is "FC" or "C")
Utility (May be filled with any player, regardless of position)
Utility (May be filled with any player, regardless of position)

It should be noted that each player has a position assigned to him based on Yahoo's discretion of where they think he fits (PG, G, SG, GF, SF, F, PF, FC, C). These positions will be listed as soon as Yahoo sets up their website - no surprises. Sometimes these are altered based on the way a player plays during the season. If an alteration is made, Yahoo will allow you to use EITHER position as a basis for filling the slots above. For example, at the start of last season, Bobby Jackson was listed as a "SG" - but with the injury to Mike Bibby, he played a lot of point guard. So Yahoo changed his position to "SG, G" - meaning he could be assigned as either a SG or a G, whichever you preferred. Clearly, the method used above makes players who are listed at a single position (PG, SG, SF, PF, C) slightly less valuable than those who are listed at a "combo" position (G, F, GF, FC) because the latter can be used in more "slots," giving you more leeway with your lineups (e.g., a G can play anywhere a PG or a SG can).

Players not assigned to one of these positions are assigned to the "Bench." When a player is on the Bench, you do not accumulate statistics for any games he plays in.

If a player you have goes on the Injured Reserve list in real life, you may elect to move him to the IR. You may leave him on IR after he comes off the list in real life... however, doing so may prohibit you from making trades or picking up FAs or both (I know it limits you in some way, I can't remember what, though). A player on IR does not count against the total number of players you have on your 13 (or 12) man roster.

Hopefully that answers your questions. I hope Yahoo get their site going soon so you can just go there and read the rules.

--The Sigil

Brother Shatterstone · Sep 12, 2003

Hey we doing head to head or are we doing point rank total thing?

I'm hoping for head to head.

Doppleganger · Sep 12, 2003

All the details posted sound alot like the fantasy hoops game I was in a couple seasons ago, though I don't think my experience was with yahoo. I seem to recall it was loosely based on head-to-head matchups, the team winner of each matchup being the side that accumulated the most points during each game-period. So everybody had wins and losses.

The Sigil · Sep 12, 2003

Doppleganger said:
All the details posted sound alot like the fantasy hoops game I was in a couple seasons ago, though I don't think my experience was with yahoo. I seem to recall it was loosely based on head-to-head matchups, the team winner of each matchup being the side that accumulated the most points during each game-period. So everybody had wins and losses.

Last year it was not done on a head-to-head basis - merely on aggregate totals accumulated throughout the season. Each category was worth N points where N is the number of teams. For instance, if you were leading in total rebounds, you got N points; if you had the second most, you got N-1 points, and so forth.

IIRC, the categories were: FG%, FT%, Three-Pointers (made, not %), Rebounds, Assists, Steals, Blocks, Points, Turnovers (fewer turnovers = higher rating).

--The Sigil