The annual Rotoworld Live Mock Draft just wrapped up, and man, Zak Hanshew’s own grade for his squad is already sparking some serious debate: a C+. On Thursday, October 15, Hanshew, alongside Noah Rubin and Raphielle Johnson, joined nine of the sharpest minds in the fantasy hoops industry for their yearly show, and the insights are already wild for the upcoming 9-Cat, H2H league.
Jokić Over Wemby? That’s a Call
Hanshew admitted he had “first-world problems” at the top of the draft, wrestling between Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama for the first overall pick. He ultimately went with Jokić, citing the Joker’s durability and his absurd, across-the-board contributions. He’s not wrong about Jokić’s history, being the only guy to ever lead the league in assists and rebounds in the same season, which is just bonkers versatility. Wemby’s a block monster and can score and rebound, sure, but Hanshew clearly wanted that all-around dominance. After Jokić, he locked in Trae Young and Walker Kessler early. He called Kessler an “upside big” and Darius Garland his “favorite value” pick. Rounding out his squad, Hanshew grabbed a handful of rookies, took some big swings on Ja Morant and Zaccharie Risacher, banking on them having huge resurgences in new spots, and even snagged his “favorite Celtics center,” Mitchell Robinson.
The Numbers Are In: Strengths and Struggles
Looking at Hanshew’s C+ roster, the strengths are pretty clear: REB, AST, FG%, and BLK. This team is gonna battle on the boards, dish out dimes, shoot efficiently, and swat some shots. But, and this is where the C+ grade makes sense, the weaknesses are just as obvious: FT%, TO, and 3PM. You’re gonna struggle from the line, cough up the ball, and won’t be raining down many triples. Hanshew himself said the team “won’t be great in triples and will struggle in turnovers and FT%.” He’s banking on those “high-usage guys” forcing up enough shots to compete in points, even if it doesn’t look like a points powerhouse at first glance. He sees it as a “solid core with plenty of swings,” which, hey, you gotta respect the game plan.
What’s wild is that Josh Lloyd, another expert from Basketball Monster and Locked On Fantasy Basketball, got a C grade himself. He went with Wemby right after Jokić came off the board. Lloyd then doubled down on blocks with Anthony Davis in the second round, solidifying that category early. His team’s strengths are PTS, REB, and BLK, but his weaknesses are STL, TO, and AST. It’s a different build, for sure, but also with its own set of category struggles.
So, the 2026-27 fantasy hoops season is coming in hot. With these early mock draft grades and strategies on the table, which of these lineups do you think has the edge heading into the season? It’s all about those calculated risks, right?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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