There are people out there who will tell you that there are more important things in life than winning. Those people say that because they’re losers. However, there is something to be said for having fun too. After all, very few of us would be willing to put in the amount of time that we do if fantasy basketball wasn’t fun.
- Gilbert Arenas: Arenas is, quite possibly, the most entertaining player in the league on and off the court. He is such an oddball off the court that you almost forget about what a talent he is on it. Who wouldn’t want a guy on their fantasy team that has the cajones to jack up a deep 3 for the win then turn around and start celebrating before the ball has gone in? It’s that “I can’t be stopped” attitude that makes Gilbert a ton of fun to watch, and the most entertaining player in basketball.
- Dwight Howard: Does anyone remember the game “Slamball” that was on Spike TV a few years ago (back when they were TNN)? Basically the game tried to mix football, street basketball, and trampolines. Heavily padded players would go flying off of the trampolines and try to throw down the nastiest dunks that they could while roughing each other up with hard checks and physical play on the ground. Well, Dwight pretty much plays Slamball, except in the NBA. Oh, and he doesn’t need a trampoline. Just try not to focus on the fact that his free throw percentage is dragging your team down in the process.
- Dwyane Wade: If you are a basketball purist you are likely offended by the number of calls Wade and others get by flinging themselves into defenders and then over-dramatizing the impact. While floppers may draw the ire of many fans, fantasy players love seeing their top free throw shooters get to the line. In addition to that, Wade will usually provide a few high light reel dunks along with some nice passes that makes him fun to watch. If you are watching for the love of the game though it’s best to avoid him, especially if you have high blood pressure already.
- Josh Smith: Check out the video I posted HERE for his credentials. J-Smoove is one of if not the most athletic player in the league, and will provide you with a ton of great dunks and blocks. Unfortunately, he has the tendency to not pick up his game until after the All Star Break. If he can finally live up to his potential all year he will justify his current second round average draft spot and then some. He alone is reason to never miss a Hawks game.
- Steve Nash: Yes, people will call foul at Nash being a two-time MVP, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a ton of fun to watch. Even when he was with
- Amare Stoudemire: Like Dwight Howard, Amare seems to enjoy dunking on people. When you combine his athleticism with Nash’s pinpoint passes you get an awe-inspiring display of talent and sheer power. When he is on your team you just sit back and watch your FG % climb with every dunk. Not to mention the fact that Amare shoots free throws at 80%. Oh, did I mention he can shoot the three now too?
- Kirk Hinrich: For the old-fashioned player in us all. Captain Kirk plays that gritty, in your face defense that you can’t help but admire. Add to that his solid ball handling skills and three point shooting and you have a guy who is a lot of fun to watch. Just make sure you change the channel quickly when he is having an off night. When he’s cold he is freezing.... as in 4 for 17 from the field. It was nights like these that in past seasons had me putting Hinrich on my “least fun” list, but these days the good nights far outnumber the bad.
- Allen Iverson: Yep, AI can still entertain with the best of them. And now that his FG % is respectable he can be just plain fun to watch for fantasy owners and casual fans alike. It’s still a wonder that someone so small can be so effective in the land of the giants.
So there you have it. If you draft any of these guys and
Look for part two of this series continuing the SNL theme with the "Debbie Downers" of the NBA.
-unposs
