26 replies to this topic

[Bigpapichulo]

What is everyone's opnion on drafting your favorite players? Obviously if you roll with Lebron or Durant there really isn't an issue, but as for me, my favorite player is Deron Williams. During the draft, I could've picked up Westbrook (as my #1) overall, but I passed him up to draft D. Will (yes I even already knew about this ankle).

I'm not regretting it, but I was just wondering does/has anyone else favor(ed) their favorite player over what the next "best" draft pick is? Any advice/opinions to share about that?

[TheWhiteMamba]

The only one I've regretted so far is Gortat, but I think that if you're deciding between on 2 or more playes players who you think will have similar numbers then go with the guy you like to watch more

[swyck]

I'm fine with drafting players you like, but only when there is a choice between players close in value.  Me I wouldn't have taken DWill over Westbrook as I don't think they're all that close, but then again neither are on my favorites list.

May as well enjoy following your favorites, but careful you don't overvalue them.  You still want to win.

[BareaFan]

Always. Everyone is like that. Everyone places a label onto someone's name. We're not machines that can calculate exact potentials of a player. During the draft, I suggested someone to draft Joakim and he simply told me, he does not like Joakim.

That's why it's such a huge advantage to have BBM's calculator. I place my values on every single player based on that calculator and I don't regret it at all.

The secret to having a good draft is to drop all your opinions about every single player and simply let a machine do every single calculation for you.

[patentboy23]

Kobe is my favorite player but I haven't drafted him in about 3 yrs . 9/10 times I draft without bias and target the "best value" with my picks.  As stated before, if one of my fav. players is on the board and the value is pretty close, then I would pick the player I like. I'm more likely to walk in a draft with a list of players that I don't want every year: Blake, Dwight, Beasley, Evans, etc.

Edited by patentboy23, 08 December 2012 - 04:22 PM.

[BareaFan]

We tend to overrate or underrate players.

Machines do not. They use exact calculations giving each player a more precise value.

The main difference is that machines have no opinions. We do and, in some ways, they are flaws when it comes to drafting.

Edited by BareaFan, 08 December 2012 - 04:24 PM.

[Bigpapichulo]

Yea that's what I'm starting to come at, maybe next year's draft I'll try to differentiate between personal like and stats better.

That is some good advice, about the close value thing never really thought of that.

I guess it really does payoff to pay for some fantasy services. This being my first year doing anything fantasy related AT ALL, I came in thinking hey, Basketball is my favorite sport, I know a lot, I should do fine! I wonder, how many people actually signed up for Basketballmonster's membership? I tend to use the site A LOT but I only do the free things, I could end up using it for next year's draft.

Yea I had a couple of names I knew I wasn't going to draft, Blake Griffin and ANY Lakers players (I just really really do not like the Lakers lol).

[BareaFan]

I only use the free services. I think it provides enough information.

[whatisthybidding]

I don't draft my favorite players because for some reason, I've never had any favorite players. I do try to avoid getting players from my favorite team unless the difference in value becomes significant, because every missed shot and turnover makes me feel worse when I'm supposed to be enjoying the game.

[Bigpapichulo]

BareaFan, on 08 December 2012 - 04:32 PM, said:

I only use the free services. I think it provides enough information.

Yeah me too, my problem is still discerning stats from "bigger" names, I guess that's the fun in fantasy right

That's me everytime I watch a Brooklyn game lol whenever D. Will makes the pass I want someone to shoot it straight away to get me an assist

[sddan]

I think unless it is a total reach you should go for it. The point of the game is to have fun and i definitely enjoy having the players i like on my teams

[crazy47larry]

My #1 favorite player is Manu Ginobili with Andrei Kirilenko coming in a close second. I was able to get them in every auction draft I did and most snake drafts but I am kind of fortunate because they are not superstuds that go in the first 2 Rounds. I really had a dilemma in one of my snake drafts, my main one actually, where I was forced to choose between going with my gut and picking AK47 or going with my head and taking OJ Mayo. I made the right, more importantly unbiased, choice and took OJ Mayo but it wasn't easy at the time. I also had Manu targeted in RD 5/6 (I picked 3rd overall so I had close picks). Anthony Davis was still available in RD 5 somehow so I jumped, of course the very next pick was Manu to an owner who had a bunch of swingmen and no bigmen.

I think I have been playing for so long I just know that it is rarely worth it to reach for your favorite player. A lot of the time in snake it really only matters where my draft spot is. After I figure that out I know if I will get them or not. Auction is an entire different animal and I could see actually building your budget around your favorite players, but again my brain would overpower me to just take the best value as opposed to the best appreciated.

[crazy47larry]

crazy47larry, on 08 December 2012 - 05:01 PM, said:

My #1 favorite player is Manu Ginobili with Andrei Kirilenko coming in a close second. I was able to get them in every auction draft I did and most snake drafts but I am kind of fortunate because they are not superstuds that go in the first 2 Rounds. I really had a dilemma in one of my snake drafts, my main one actually, where I was forced to choose between going with my gut and picking AK47 or going with my head and taking OJ Mayo. I made the right, more importantly unbiased, choice and took OJ Mayo but it wasn't easy at the time. I also had Manu targeted in RD 5/6 (I picked 3rd overall so I had close picks). Anthony Davis was still available in RD 5 somehow so I jumped, of course the very next pick was Manu to an owner who had a bunch of swingmen and no bigmen.

I think I have been playing for so long I just know that it is rarely worth it to reach for your favorite player. A lot of the time in snake it really only matters where my draft spot is. After I figure that out I know if I will get them or not. Auction is an entire different animal and I could see actually building your budget around your favorite players, but again my brain would overpower me to just take the best value as opposed to the best appreciated.

After further review I screwed up some of the RDs but you get the point.

Edited by crazy47larry, 08 December 2012 - 05:16 PM.

[Bigpapichulo]

crazy47larry, on 08 December 2012 - 05:16 PM, said:

crazy47larry, on 08 December 2012 - 05:01 PM, said:

My #1 favorite player is Manu Ginobili with Andrei Kirilenko coming in a close second. I was able to get them in every auction draft I did and most snake drafts but I am kind of fortunate because they are not superstuds that go in the first 2 Rounds. I really had a dilemma in one of my snake drafts, my main one actually, where I was forced to choose between going with my gut and picking AK47 or going with my head and taking OJ Mayo. I made the right, more importantly unbiased, choice and took OJ Mayo but it wasn't easy at the time. I also had Manu targeted in RD 5/6 (I picked 3rd overall so I had close picks). Anthony Davis was still available in RD 5 somehow so I jumped, of course the very next pick was Manu to an owner who had a bunch of swingmen and no bigmen.

I think I have been playing for so long I just know that it is rarely worth it to reach for your favorite player. A lot of the time in snake it really only matters where my draft spot is. After I figure that out I know if I will get them or not. Auction is an entire different animal and I could see actually building your budget around your favorite players, but again my brain would overpower me to just take the best value as opposed to the best appreciated.

After further review I screwed up some of the RDs but you get the point.

This is probably the piece of advice that I'm going to remember the most. Being a fan of a player, one can always come up with arguments on why he is the best a what he does and etc. but the stats are unbiased. Next time I'm gong to be look at my draft position and determine from there if I can reach for them or not.

Ah AK47 is one of the people I personally sought after in the draft, looking at the way he played during the Euros, I knew he was going to come back to the league and be a little more "special" then he's been lately. That trip back home really helped him out lol

[mbroo5880i]

I always try to draft a player from the Pacers.  I tend to have favorite teams with players that I like.  I won't reach to get them but it factors into my draft strategy.  I used to play fantasy for money and that was fine.  Now, I prefer to play for fun.  It helps me enjoy the game more.  So, a miss here or there on a player isn't that big of a deal.

[Bigpapichulo]

mbroo5880i, on 08 December 2012 - 05:30 PM, said:

I always try to draft a player from the Pacers.  I tend to have favorite teams with players that I like.  I won't reach to get them but it factors into my draft strategy.  I used to play fantasy for money and that was fine.  Now, I prefer to play for fun.  It helps me enjoy the game more.  So, a miss here or there on a player isn't that big of a deal.

That's how I felt about the Heat and OKC (although I didn't get either lol), can't go wrong with owning a player from both conference's champion teams. I have thought about playing fantasy for money, after I get a little more experience, but I didn't want to give up the fun for the stress of money.

[kobeforever]

Damian Lillard has been in all my leagues and I always choose him at the 5th or 6th round regardless of who's still up there. He's my favorite player atm.

[Raiiny]

Steph Curry is my favorite player, since I live in the bay, unfortunately same applies to everyone else in my league lol. Curry was gone late 1st, and if there was a redraft, I'm sure he would of went even higher. One guy in my league drafted Monta just to trade him for more value and it actually worked. Even though he playing for Bucks now.

[vinz]

As a long time Knicks fan, I haven't owned a Knick in the past 3 years, at all. My favorite player is Gerald Wallace and I haven't owned him period. I think its to do with because I spend a lot of time watching/analyzing/admiring these two things I understand their value a little better than others; so I know their weaknesses and the limits to what they can produce. Whereas for players I don't usually care for they have more of an unknown edge to them.

[Bigpapichulo]

I'm curious, for the people who said that AK47, Manu, Gerald Wallace, and such. What makes them your favorite players? I'm asking because I would normally expect the Kobe, Lebron, Rose, answers, so ya surprised me there.