2025-26 Mock NBA Fantasy Draft—Way Too Early Edition, Volume 1.0
Will you, the fantasy hoops player, draft any Chicago Bulls in the first five rounds? Believe it or not, you just might. Possibly even two.
“GREAT NBA FINALS SO FAR, RIGHT?”
“I guess.”
“You guess?”
“I miss my season-long fantasy league.”
“Ahhh. I can see that.”
“You know what would be nice? You know what would get me through the summer?”
“What’s that?”
“A mock fantasy draft for a nine-category league. Even just the first five rounds.”
“Ooh, great call! I bet Chicago Sports Stuff would do just that.”
Your bet would be correct. Welcome to NBA Fantasyland, 2025-26.
ROUND 1
Team 1: C: Nikola Jokic
Team 2: C: Victor Wembanyama
Team 3: SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Team 4: PG: Luka Doncic
Team 5: PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Team 6: PF: Anthony Davis
Team 7: SG: Anthony Edwards
Team 8: PG: Tyrese Haliburton
Team 9: PG: Jalen Brunson
Team 10: C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Analysis: Isn’t it weird that we can agree Doncic falling to four makes sense? Previously a consensus number one or two pick, Luka’s fantasy value will be dinged by the somehow-still-super-productive LeBron James.
And then there’s Giannis falling to five, but that, again, makes sense, Wemby and SGA are younger and thus should likely get more minutes. Keep your eye on the Ant Man, who could climb your board as we get closer to Draft Day.
ROUND 2
Team 10: C: Joel Embiid
Team 9: SG: Tyrese Maxey
Team 8: PF: Domantas Sabonis
Team 7: SG: Donovan Mitchell
Team 6: PF: Pascal Siakam
Team 5: PG: Stephen Curry
Team 4: PG: Trae Young
Team 3: SF: Jalen Williams
Team 2: SF: Kevin Durant
Team 1: SF: LeBron James
Analysis: You know the times are a’changin’ when K.D. and Bron go at the bottom of round two—and after Jalen freakin’ Williams. But Williams is a young’un, and Durant and James, um, aren’t.
I’d be nervous to grab Embiid in the second round, but Team 10 thinks he’ll remain on the court, so bully for them.
ROUND 3
Team 1: SG: Devin Booker
Team 2: SF: Paolo Banchero
Team 3: PF: Evan Mobley
Team 4: PF: Alperen Sengun
Team 5: C: Bam Adebayo
Team 6: SG: Desmond Bane
Team 7: PG: Cade Cunningham
Team 8: C: Chet Holmgren
Team 9: SF: Franz Wagner
Team 10: PG: Ja Morant
Analysis: Grabbing Bane at six is reveals Team 6’s strategy, that being to load up on three-pointers and free throw percentages, a category-stuffing approach that has won me not one, but two leagues.
Morant is a second-round talent, but his ability to stay in the lineup—injuries, off-court issues, yadda, yadda, yadda—hurts his value.
ROUND 4
Team 10: SF: Jayson Tatum
Team 9: C: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Team 8: SG: Jaylen Brown
Team 7: SG: DeMar DeRozan
Team 6: SF: Scottie Barnes
Team 5: SG: James Harden
Team 4: PG: Darius Garland
Team 3: PF: Kawhi Leonard
Team 2: SF: Jimmy Butler
Team 1: C: Kristaps Porzingis
Analysis: Three Celts (or potentially former Celts) take a big tumble, but you can’t really argue, as Tatum and Brown are both dealing with ouchies, and the Zinger might be playing elsewhere next season.
Our old friend Deebo is a box-score-filler who could be a sneaky-good get.
ROUND 5
Team 1: PG: Jamal Murray
Team 2: SG: LaMelo Ball
Team 3: SF: Austin Reaves
Team 4: C: Nikola Vucevic
Team 5: PF: Miles Bridges
Team 6: PG: Damian Lillard
Team 7: SG: Josh Giddey
Team 8: C: Ivica Zubac
Team 9: PF: Jarrett Allen
Team 10: PG: Tyler Herro
Analysis: Like Morant, Melo has first-round talent, but the uncertainty about either his current team (they stink) or his new team (if I’m Charlotte, I’d totally blow it up), making him an iffy early-round pick.
Don’t be surprised if Giddey vaults up the hit parade—and hopefully the restricted free agent will be doing so in Chicago.
It’ll be less of a surprise if Nikola Vucevic—who’s been on the trading block since, like, three days after Chicago acquired him—is double/doubling somewhere other than than United Center.
Final Rosters
Team 1
C: Nikola Jokic
SF: LeBron James
SG: Devin Booker
C: Kristaps Porzingis
PG: Jamal Murray
Team 2
C: Victor Wembanyama
SF: Kevin Durant
SF: Paolo Banchero
SF: Jimmy Butler
SG: LaMelo Ball
Team 3
SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SF: Jalen Williams
PF: Evan Mobley
PF: Kawhi Leonard
SF: Austin Reaves
Team 4
PG: Luka Doncic
PG: Trae Young
PF: Alperen Sengun
PG: Darius Garland
C: Nikola Vucevic
Team 5
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
PG: Stephen Curry
C: Bam Adebayo
SG: James Harden
PF: Miles Bridges
Team 6
PF: Anthony Davis
PF: Pascal Siakam
SG: Desmond Bane
SF: Scottie Barnes
PG: Damian Lillard
Team 7
SG: Anthony Edwards
SG: Donovan Mitchell
PG: Cade Cunningham
SG: DeMar DeRozan
SG: Josh Giddey
Team 8
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
PF: Domantas Sabonis
C: Chet Holmgren
SG: Jaylen Brown
C: Ivica Zubac
Team 9
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Tyrese Maxey
SF: Franz Wagner
C: Jaren Jackson Jr.
PF: Jarrett Allen
Team 10
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
C: Joel Embiid
PG: Ja Morant
SF: Jayson Tatum
PG: Tyler Herro
Analysis: There’s a ton of fantasy talent in this draft, so rather than hoping, praying, and wishing for the top spot, you should be crossing your fingers to land at four or five.
To that point, Team 4 looks like a juggernaut, with three guards who will help them make huge noise in four categories: Points, assists, free throw percentage, and steals. They’ll likely punt on rebounds and blocks, and load up on more of the same in the next three rounds, as well they should. Remember, you just need to win each week 5-4.
Speaking of punting, Team 10 is sacrificing the first half of the season altogether, hoping that Tatum returns to the court—and to form—after the All-Star break. That said, if Tatum does Tatum things from February on, and Embiid can stay out of the trainer’s room, they could dominate in big-man stats. It’s a dice-roll, but that’s fantasy hoops, y’all.
Predicted League Standings
Team 4
Team 2
Team 10
Team 7
Team 5
Team 1
Team 3
Team 8
Team 6
Team 9
Hopefully that’ll get us through the summer.