2025-26 Mock NBA Fantasy Draft, Volume 1.0 —First Nikola Jokic, Then Victor Wembanyama, Then Anything Goes

"The NBA Finals were the bomb!"

“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 rest of 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 Fantasy Sports on SI 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: SF: Cooper Flagg

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.

We all know that somebody in your league will draft Cooper Flagg way too high, and here in our thought experiment, Team 8 does just that. (Note: Don't be Team 8.)

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: Two Celts and one former Celt take big tumbles, but you can’t really argue, as Tatum and Brown are both dealing with ouchies, and the Zinger has to find his sea legs in Hotlanta.

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.

And taking a fifth-round flyer on a still team-less Damian Lillard could be a league-winning move.

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

SF: Cooper Flagg

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

FINAL 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 all through the summer.