SportAI
A picture of Victor Wembanyama dribbling like a point guard. (Athlete: Victor Wembanyama Source: bleacherreport.com Photograph by Justin Ford/Getty Images, Date: November 8th, 2024)
The NBA has risen to become one of the most exciting professional sports leagues in the world. The league has constantly evolved the game by adding the three-point line, focusing on player personalities, and the rise of position-less basketball.
Specifically, position-less basketball has caused significant changes in how managers should evaluate players and their value. For example, players like Nikola Jokic can play any position on the floor —like point guard—and still be valuable.
The Rise and Reign of Position-less Basketball
A picture of Nikola Jokic showcasing his dribbling skills. (Athlete: Nikola Jokic Source: cbssports.com Photograph by Getty Images, Date: October 25th, 2024)
Over the last decade, NBA teams have adopted position-less basketball. This means that traditional roles —point guards directing ball movement, centers dominating the inside, and forwards filling many roles— have changed.
In position-less basketball, players embrace many roles regardless of their position, allowing their athleticism to have a larger impact on their game. This trend has popularized basketball and permits a more dynamic and free form of play.
All players must be able to shoot, pass, dribble, and defend, regardless of size or position. Some examples of players who represent position-less basketball are 7-foot-three Victor Wembanyama, who can knock down 3’s and finish elegantly in the paint, and 6-foot-eleven Nikola Jokic, who possesses the skills of an elite point guard in a center’s frame.
Overall, position-less basketball is the new era of the NBA and teams have reflected that change in their strategies, allowing their players to fulfill multiple roles. Also, the rise of “unicorn” players like Wembanyama and Jokic embodies position-less basketball because they can have skills that seem impossible given their stature.
Mastering the Flow: The Art of Position-less Basketball
A picture of Karl-Anthony Towns finishing at the basket. (Athlete: Karl-Anthony Towns Source: dailyknicks.com Photograph by Scott Taetsch/GettyImages, Date: October 23rd, 2024)
Three factors help position-less basketball flourish: player development, the three-pointer, and defensive flexibility.
Recently, players have been trained to be versatile from a young age. Big men no longer rely on the paint through post moves and rebounding. Today, they learn ball-handling, shooting, and even playmaking. On the other hand, guards and forwards develop rebounding and inside defensive skills.
Also, the three-pointer has encouraged teams to value players who can stretch the floor with long-range scoring. For example, top-tier centers like Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid can consistently make three-pointers force defenders to apply pressure on the perimeter, opening the mid-range and the paint for easy baskets.
Finally, positionless basketball has also improved defensive flexibility because players can constantly switch to other opponents despite not playing the same position. As a result, teams can coordinate defensive assignments better to avoid mismatches.
Position-less Play, Fantasy Gains: How Modern Basketball Impacts Your Lineup
A picture of assists per game using min-max normalization for the 2022-2023 NBA season. (Athlete: James Harden Source: medium.com Photograph by Giora Omer, Date: September 23rd, 2023)
Overall, versatile basketball players thrive in this new era of position-less play. Currently, Nikola Jokic ranks first in fantasy points per game, averaging around 45 points, 10 above Giannis Antetokounmpo in second.
These players rank consistently as top fantasy scorers and can significantly improve team performance. For example, Nikola Jokic, who has a score+, a unique metric generated by SportAI algorithms that projects future fantasy performance relative to other players using advanced metrics, of 96.83, is currently averaging a triple-double a game, highlighting his wide skillset.
Even smaller players who can contribute in several ways succeed. For instance, Trae Young, who is 6-foot-one, and James Harden, who is 6-foot-five, are both top-13 in fantasy points per game despite having a smaller frame. They can accomplish this feat by racking up assists and points while maintaining consistent rebounds and steals numbers.
Harden and Young have excellent score+ rankings, 6th and 3rd for shooting and point guards respectively. These trends of versatile players benefitting their fantasy teams align with SportAI’s score+ ranking, making it a savvy tool for managers.
Using the graphic above from the 2022-2023 NBA season, we can also see that Harden has consistently been able to provide great value for managers compared to other players. It demonstrates how his elite playmaking ability helps him reach double-digit assist numbers per game and boosts his fantasy value.
Position-less Basketball Unpacked: A Summary of Its Effects
A picture of Trae Young attempting a lay-up. (Athlete: Trae Young Source: nba.com Photograph by NBA, Date: 2024)
Overall, the development and rise of position-less basketball have helped spark versatility and flexibility among players and teams. Players now adopt several roles within their teams, allowing them to garner rebounds, points, assists, and other statistics once dominated by traditional positions.
Ultimately, position-less basketball makes players with an elite ability to play all positions well highly valuable and necessary for managers to succeed and dominate their leagues.
(SportAI Inc TM)
New Free Fantasy Sports AI Tool
Looking for more rankings and free fantasy tools?
Check out SportAI.io, the all-inclusive fantasy sports app that provides the necessary tools to compare lineups and determine starting or benching a player effectively.
SportAI uses its unique Score+ metric, derived from in-house algorithms, to project future fantasy performance relative to other players.
The statistic accounts for performance variance and goes beyond normal benchmarks, using data points such as injuries, team achievement, opponent performance, and more.
2024 Fantasy Basketball Most Intriguing Rookies & Top Busts Watchlist
Looking for League-Winning Rookies? Read here
Looking to Avoid Basketball Busts? Read here
SportAI’s Drop the Mic
“At the end of the day, they can only talk. They can’t guard me.”-Trae Young on New York Knicks Fans.
Drop the Mic is a segment that features a funny quote at the end of each blog post!
Connecting With Other Players
Interested in talking with other passionate fantasy basketball players while receiving insightful weekly updates about the NBA season? Join the SportAI Discord
