Top Five Fantasy Basketball Picks

As the time for the fantasy drafts approach, here is a look at my current top five players to pick going into the 2007-08 season:

1) Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
Garnett is a relatively risky number one pick because he’ll be in a new situation, but the reward is too high to pass up. He’s a monster in virtually all statistical categories and should play with new life this season. His points could be down but even so, he’ll make up for it in other areas.

2) Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Bryant is going to get the rock and he’s going to score. That’s a given. No matter what happens, Bryant is going to get his 30 points a night. With that type of building block, you can make a very good fantasy team. Especially considering Bryant does many other things well.

3) Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns
Marion slips a bit because of his trade demands. His role could be altered dramatically depending on where he is traded. If he was happy in Phoenix, he might do enough well to be considered the top overall fantasy pick. As it stands, he’s too risky to be number 1.

4) Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Wade is a bit of a forgotten man in the fantasy world. Sure, he is injury prone. However, when healthy, he’s one of the most dynamic talents in the league. He does everything well and after a few years of seasoning, there’s no reason why Wade can’t have a career year. Even if he’s to miss the first couple weeks of the season, he’s still a very fine pick. Unless his injury woes worsen during training camp, pick him with confidence in the upper half of the first round.

5) Jason Kidd, New Jersey
This looks a bit high for Kidd but there is a good chance he has a huge year. He had a great showing with Team USA this summer and looks to be in great shape. He has a lot of scorers on his team and he’ll have no problem racking up triple-doubles again this year. Kidd is a bit old but there’s a good chance he’s a fantasy stud this season.