Victor Wembanyama climbs to No. 2 as Yahoo’s new weekly-format reshuffles the top 12, while Nikola Jokic stays No. 1 and Giannis slides. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić hold strong positions, and the host argues you can build around Wemby without forcing a punt-heavy plan, weighing guard vs big-man routes and midseason give-ups in both 9-cat and 8-cat formats. AD’s durability risk and Harden’s all-around edge are flagged for risk/reward decisions as opening-night prep nears.

Beyond the top tier, Cade Cunningham’s guard-build tradeoffs and Devin Booker as a viable late-first anchor are weighed, with midseason punt concepts and head-to-head vs roto strategies guiding practical moves for opening-night lineups.

Anthony Davis anchors a punt-dominant nine-cat build, drafted at pick 8 with health risk in mind but sky-high upside. The plan pivots away from early points/assists to steal floors via Dyson Daniels and Amen Thompson, then stacks defense with Walker Kesler and Jakob Poeltl. Late-round guards and big-man complements—Mitchell Robinson and Taylor Hendricks—lock in rebounds, blocks, and defensive stats. It’s a calculated path to win the defensive columns while largely bypassing high-volume scoring early.

ESPN's top 100 debate for 2025-26 sparked a Bulls-centered clash: Josh Giddy’s omission is dissected as a possible snub or a data-driven verdict, while Kobe White earns a top-100 nod and prompts discussion of Bulls’ growing youth, fit, and ceiling. The panel’s criteria emphasize predicted contributions, with debates over ball-handling, role clarity, and how a team’s trajectory shapes ranking. Offseason trends—youth, depth, size—frame the broader NBA outlook, contrasting star-building vs. roster depth.

Jokic opens as the safe No. 1 in a 12-team ESPN points mock, with the host noting ESPN’s efficiency penalties push high-usage scorers higher. He leans into upside in the mid rounds with Giddy, Mitchell and Reeves, while avoiding injury-prone anchors like Zion and Embiid early. The draft threads a line between health risk and ceiling, stacking speed and scoring with measured early risk, and highlights value in Scoot Henderson, Wiggins, and Murray as CONCRETE upside bets later.

Jokic remains No.1 in Yahoo’s updated top-24, with Giannis No.2 and the rookie wunderkind Victor Wembanyama cracking the top five. The host lays out why punting free throws (or not) drives wildly different paths for Cade, Edwards, and the guard-heavy builds around Luka and Shai. Anthony Davis’s durability versus LeBron’s age shapes late-first decisions; AD’s per-game ceiling keeps him valuable even if health is uncertain. Turnover and field goal tradeoffs, plus KD, Steph, Harden, and Dame as late-round anchors, color the conversation as the draft approaches. Future episodes will drill deeper into rounds two and beyond.