Five breakout candidates to watch in fantasy basketball this season are Matas Buzelis, Desmond Bane, Andrew Nembhard, Kevin Porter Jr., and Sam Hauser. Buzelis Michał‑style growth could push him into a steady starting role with Chicago, especially with the Bulls balancing a playoff push and developing his outside shot. Desmond Bane could see a higher usage bucket after roster moves, while Nembhard and Porter Jr. stand to benefit from increased minutes and multi‑category production. Hauser offers late‑round threes and rebounds with strong shooting history and a path to bigger minutes in Boston.

The piece emphasizes role shifts, longer seasons, and the potential for career-best numbers as rookies mature and veterans adapt to new supporting casts. It also notes how air-tight shooting and multi‑cat contributions can unlock value in adjacent categories, making these players appealing targets late in drafts and in daily fantasy leagues.

Pacers and Thunder pushed a seven-game Finals, proving small markets can contend with sharp rosters, stifling defense, and coaching that turns depth into a playoff edge.

Haliburton dismissed rigging talk; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Pascal Siakam flashed top-tier efficiency and versatility, underscoring that fantasy value hinges on depth, role clarity and fit.

Fantasy takeaway: monitor roster depth, minutes and coaching impact. Haliburton remains a cornerstone; Thunder youngsters could surge with extended roles.

Robert Horry's No. 5 with the Lakers stands as a beacon of clutch defense and timely shooting, anchoring a dynasty era after a Rockets trade for Cedric Ceballos. His playoff thunder—Game 7 against Portland, finals moments vs Indiana, and a late West finals buzzer-beater—built a legend known as Big Shot Rob. Seven rings in total underscore a rare blend of longevity and big-moment skill.

From Minneapolis roots to LA greatness, the jersey’s lore bridges eras: Horry thrived with Kobe and Shaq, exemplifying how role players can become indispensable architects of title teams. His story offers a timeless blueprint for fantasy historians: value veterans who deliver in the playoffs and elevate a dynasty’s ceiling in must-win moments.

Haliburton pushed through a finals MRI and a torn Achilles, choosing to compete rather than shut it down. The injury ends his season and is projected to keep him out for 15 months, with Indiana framing next season as a full absence. Durant’s advice to push through echoes the risk-reward mindset of elite players. For fantasy, prepare for a long rebuild in Indiana and a reshuffled guard rotation once Haliburton returns.

Durant’s stance underscores the realities of high-stakes wear-and-tear; this isn’t a scripted finale, it’s medical reality. Fantasy managers should pivot now to depth, track rehab updates, and recalibrate expectations for Haliburton’s return timeline and long-term impact on the Pacers’ usage and upside.

Lloyd Pierce lands in Kigali to coach Basketball Without Borders as the NBA doubles down on Africa’s development pipeline. The staff includes Tamika Catchings and other veterans, underscoring the program’s punch to grow coaching know-how and access to basketball paths. Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin, BWB alumni now on the Pacers, personify the payoff of this long-game investment. African-born players feature on 2024-25 rosters at a record pace, signaling a broader fantasy upside as talent hits the mainstream.

The piece foregrounds infrastructure—courts, equipment, teaching, health—plus early-life pathways to college and pro basketball. Siakam’s Cameroon-born arc from camp to NBA Finals stardom illustrates the potential of these pipelines, a theme Pierce champions as Indiana braces for a season without Tyrese Haliburton while eyes stay fixed on development and opportunity.