The new NBA season tips off next week, giving you plenty of time to sign up for Underdog Fantasy and use our Underdog Fantasy promo code to match 100% of your deposit up to $500. This year, Underdog is running a $10 “Double Dribble” Best Ball tournament, and at 56.1% capacity at the time of this article, there is another massive overlay opportunity, with a pool size of 56,400 entrants.
This series will cover 2023 NBA Best Ball draft strategies for Underdog and break things down positionally by bigs, wings and guards. Each week, two guards, two wings, one big and one flex, with the top scores counting towards a weekly team total. At the end of the “regular season,” a majority of the prize pool will be paid out to the 11,000 top-scoring teams. These teams will advance to a three-week playoff that will pay out the remaining prize pool money. The top prize for the regular season is $75,000, with an additional $10,000 being paid to the playoff winner.
Today we will cover bigs, a position that can present challenges when drafting. Here are our favorite 2023 NBA Best Ball picks.
2023 NBA Best Ball Draft Strategy & Picks
There is a scarcity of elite big options outside of the first three rounds. Nikola Jokic (1.1), Joel Embiid (4.2), and Domantas Sabonis (8.4) are premier opening-round targets at their average draft positions, but Anthony Davis (10.8) draws some concern, having played only 73.1% of games over his career and not eclipsing 60 games over the last three seasons with the Lakers. Unproven media magnets like Victor Wembanyama (24.6) and Chet Holmgren (50.1) are being drafted in the top 50, which feels like a reach on a notable name. This position forces some drafters to take shots on options above their ADP but does offer some sneaky value through each phase of the draft if you’re willing to wait.
Bam Adebayo: No. 7 Big / ADP 30.7
An increase in field goal attempts and points per game in four straight seasons has solidified Adebayo in the top 5 at the position. He bumped up his usage to match his elite efficiency and stat-stuffing prowess, which makes Adebayo a great target in the third round. Averaging 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals + blocks per game gives Adebayo a tremendous floor, while 31 double-doubles and the occasional triple-double increases his ceiling.
Evan Mobley (38.6) is another third-round selection that appears to be flying under the radar as a big. He possesses similar capabilities as a defensive presence and saw a boost in usage last year, scoring with elite efficiency while compiling 24 double-doubles. Both players are warriors who play every game and see extensive minutes. Last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr. (33.3), could smash if he takes on a larger role in the offense with Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games of the new season. What Jackson lacks in rebounding he makes up with his defensive expertise, producing three blocks and one steal per game.
Alperen Sengun: No. 12 Big / ADP 53.6
Sengun is a clear building block for the Houston Rockets, who finally handed the keys to him at the end of last season. He is a proven unicorn that will be positively impacted by the addition of Fred VanVleet providing some stability at the point guard position. Coming off 75 games in a sophomore season in which he averaged 14.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and nearly a block and a steal per game, Sengun could see an increase in double-doubles with an elite upgrade to the backcourt.
He is sandwiched between Holmgren and Kristaps Porzingis (56), but Sengun provides more safety in his role, whereas the other two options have injury concerns and have not established their roles with their respective teams. Nikola Vucevic (49.0) is a safe target around this range as well, coming of a full 82-game season where he averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Bulls.
Jalen Duren: No. 25 Big / ADP 108.7
Duren is another big due to see a boost through better backcourt play as he is poised to man the starting 5-spot for Detroit in just his second season. He started 31 of 67 games last season and averaged 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists, with 19 double-doubles and 1.6 blocks + steals per game. The Pistons welcome Cade Cunningham back from injury, and he and Duren developed a good chemistry with the USA Select Team this offseason. An increase in playing time for the young center could generate tremendous value in the ninth round.
Daniel Gafford (124.8) is another phenomenal late target as the assumed starting center for the Washington Wizards. Gafford has started 100 of 150 games over the past two seasons and is positioned to take a step forward after averaging about 9 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes over this span. Wendell Carter Jr. (100.9) has struggled to play a full season since entering the league, but he has proven to be a three-level scorer with double-double upside and began establishing chemistry while sharing the frontcourt with Paolo Banchero in their first season together.
