With the NBA season quickly approaching, fantasy players across the country are gearing up for in-person and online drafts. To better prepare you for what to expect come draft day, we gathered some of our top fantasy basketball experts to participate in a mock selection process. How will James Harden

With the NBA season quickly approaching, fantasy players across the country are gearing up for in-person and online drafts. To better prepare you for what to expect come draft day, we gathered some of our top fantasy basketball experts to participate in a mock selection process. How will James Harden play as a point guard under new coach Mike DAntoni? Will Anthony Davis be able to stay healthy all season in New Orleans?The following group helped answer those questions and more in our second mock draft for fantasy hoops: ESPN editors Greg Rosenstein, Chris Ramsay, Austin Tedesco and Tom Carpenter; ESPN writers Eric Karabell, Joe Kaiser, Jeremias Engelmann and Jim McCormick; ESPN fantasy researcher Kyle Soppe; and ESPN NBA Stats & Information analyst Matthew Wittyngham.Note: The scoring system for this particular mock draft is rotisserie, in which teams are ranked from first to last in each statistical category.Wittyngham on Westbrook: Once it was announced that?Kevin Durant was leaving the Thunder, Westbrooks fantasy, MVP and overall basketball stock skyrocketed. Since he entered the league, he has had a usage percentage of 37.3 percent with Durant off the court, which would rank highest among qualified players in any season during that time. He finished with 18 triple-doubles last year, with a majority coming without Durant. Westbrook has an engine that allows him to play 40-42 minutes a game. He might not be efficient in any way, as he turns the ball over more and shoots worse without Durant, but he fills the sheet everywhere else.Rosenstein on Curry: I thought long and hard about going Karl-Anthony Towns here but then decided to not overthink it. This is Steph Curry, after all, the guy who put up absolutely insane fantasy basketball numbers last season en route to being our highest-rated player. Im not as worried as some are about Kevin Durant taking away shots, and Curry could potentially bolster his already strong assist rate with the addition of the 6-foot-9 sharpshooter.Ramsay on Davis: Im really happy with this team. I feel very good about getting all-around fantasy great Anthony Davis at the end of the first round. I expect hell have a strong bounce-back year after sitting with injuries for much of last season. Davis will put up big numbers in a lot of categories: blocks, points, rebounds, field goal percentage.Ramsay on Lillard: Im also happy to get another great player in Damian Lillard at the top of the second round. Its always fun to get an All-Star you really like on your fantasy team. I love Dame, and I love the Blazers, so thats a win-win for me. Lillard is going to get buckets, make a ton of 3s, drain his free throws and drop a Dame D.O.L.L.A worth of dimes.Kyle Soppe on Paul George: Ill spare you the story on going with DeMarcus Cousins in the first round: Ive already fought that fight and continue to believe that is the best way to approach any draft in which you pick fifth or later. PG13 missed nearly the entire 2014 season, but he has played at least 79 games in the other three seasons since 2012, offering elite production in the process. There were four other players who averaged 2.5 3PM last season with 11 assists-plus-rebounds last season: Curry, Harden, Durant and another second-round pick Im a big fan of,?Kyle Lowry.Tedesco on Antetokounmpo: Im all-in on Point Giannis. Even if the Bucks arent very good (barring a big trade, they probably wont be), Antetokounmpo can keep chasing triple-doubles, and thats totally fine with me.Kaiser on Lowry: I love Paul Millsap in fantasy, and with Millsap sitting there at pick No. 17 in Round 2, it was very tempting to take him. But because I passed on a point guard in the first round, I didnt want to get aced out on a top player at that position, so I opted for Kyle Lowry over Millsap. Its worth noting that Kemba Walker and Eric Bledsoe were both available when my next pick rolled around at No. 24. If I could do it over again, I probably would have drafted Millsap and settled for either Bledsoe or Walker in Round 3.Wittyngham on Thomas: As I mentioned in the first mock draft, it is key to get a strong point guard, and I took two elite ones with my first two picks. Thomas first full season with Boston was a career one, as he averaged a career high in PPG, APG and 3PM per game. In addition, he finished with a usage percentage of 29.3, which ranked in the top 20 of the NBA. Brad Stevens has done wonders with this team and will figure out more ways to get IT4 more involved than he already is.Carpenter on Irving: Health questions surrounding Irving are legit -- his history of major injuries, plus the wear and tear of a trip through the NBA finals and then the Olympics -- so his ADP has dropped to 15th. Thats a pretty fair spot for him, so I consider him a real steal at No. 21 in this draft. He doesnt fill any one category freakishly well, but he has the skills to be a top-10 player, which makes him an intriguing upside value pick in the second half of the second round in most formats.Rosenstein on Horford: Boston has been in major need of a star for years, and the Celtics finally got one in 2016 with Al Horford. I like his potential in Brad Stevens offense, where the ball will go through big men a ton. Although his ceiling isnt super high, Horfords floor is, and I like knowing exactly what Ill get from my starting center.Tedesco on Bledsoe: Counting on a (hopefully healthy) Eric Bledsoe to win the Great Phoenix Backcourt Battle, Pt. II. I love Devin Booker, but his rise wont mean Bledsoe cant produce, and if Knight isnt on the move, then it at least looks like hell be the odd man out in this Suns guard triangle.Ramsay on Thompson: Everybody knows what Klay Thompson can do. Hes a heckuva shooter and scorer. Theres some concern that Kevin Durant will take some of Klays shots this season. I get that. But one thing about Klay: He seems to get a lot of early-offense points. He gets down the floor quickly and finds those early-in-the-shot-clock 3s. I think hell still get a lot of those, even with Durant on the floor.McCormick on Gobert: I consider my selections of Andre Drummond and Gobert related, given that I took this portion of the draft to focus on securing elite rebounding assets, as the Detroit big led the NBA in rebounding last season, with Gobert finishing sixth. Gobert specifically nets me a strong blocks commodity, as this is a uniquely scarce stat and one he can help fuel for my roster, given that he has finished third and fourth in blocks per game, respectively, the past two years. I think finding Gobert at this stage of the draft reveals that you can wait to get difference-making bigs and focus on elite guards and wings in the first two rounds.Kaiser on Love: I was already set at center (Karl Anthony-Towns), point guard (Kyle Lowry) and shooting guard (Jimmy Butler) when my pick rolled around in Round 4, and I was happy to land Love, a player who could boost my 3-point abilities from the power forward position while also helping in terms of rebounding and free throw percentage.Wittyngham on Favors: Favors does play in a very slow offense on the Jazz, who rank dead last in pace at 93.3. However, Favors made the most of his opportunities. The Jazz forward finished averaging 16 PPG/8 RPG/1.5 BPG, one of six qualified players to do so last season. Other names on the list? DeMarcus Cousins (eighth pick), Anthony Davis (10th pick) and Karl-Anthony Towns (fourth on the list). Favors also shot above 50 percent from the field, narrowing that list to just KAT. With the 41st pick, that is a lot of value.Carpenter on Jordan: Last season, he averaged 43.0 percent from the free throw line and took 8.0 attempts per game. You dont have to be a math genius to know that is going to wreck your FT% in roto leagues. I usually pass on Jordan, Andre Drummond and Dwight Howard in these formats, because overcoming those numbers can be mighty difficult. However, with charity-stripe masters like Harden, Oladipo, Irving and DeRozan in my pocket already, I actually have a roster that can cover up his free throws pretty well. Plus, Jordans boards and blocks help mitigate my taking four guards to start things off.Kaiser on Fournier: Landing Fournier drew some responses from at least one of my fellow draftees and reinforced the fact that Im not the only one with high hopes for the Orlando swingman in the post-Victor Oladipo era. Fourniers well-rounded game and ability to score, hit the 3, rebound, pass and steal complemented my other four starters very well and solidified my starting five. The only problem I faced at this point of the draft is that Kyle Lowry was my only point guard, and choosing Fournier over the likes of a solid second point guard such as?Dennis Schroder left me very thin at the point by the time the draft was complete. In retrospect, I might have gone for Schroder or Mike Conley and settled for Devin Booker in Round 6.Engelmann on Dragic: With Wade and Bosh gone, the Miami Heat starting lineup lost two important shot-creators. Deng is gone as well and will be replaced by a player who is not yet comfortable with the ball in his hands (Winslow). Thus, theres little doubt that the Heat will look more to Dragic to run their offense, which should lead to higher PPG and APG averages.Soppe on Rondo: I realize Rondo is a man with a unique set of skills, but after missing out on my elite tier of point guards (one that ends with Eric Bledsoe/Isaiah Thomas), Rondo and Ricky Rubio became my next targets, as I knew that I could add big-time assist/steal numbers and focus elsewhere prior to that. Rondos rebounding numbers for a point guard are also top-notch, and lets not completely dismiss the fact that Rondo has shot 36.2 percent from distance the past two seasons. Is he perfect? No. Is he exactly what my team needed? You bet.Ramsay on Conley: Mike Conley is now the highest-paid player in the NBA. Im hoping he goes out and earns every cent of that $153 million deal. Im looking for more steals, assists and points from him this season.Karabell on Teague: Indianas new point guard is one of the safer choices around after the first few rounds. He always scores and hits 3s and stays healthy. With Chris Paul as my first point and plenty of big men, Teague is a perfect fit.McCormick on Crowder: Ranked No. 49 on the Player Rater last season overall and 14th among small forwards in a breakout effort for the Celtics, Crowder offers major help in steals (he finished 14th in steals per game) and enjoyed career production from beyond the arc. The word for Crowder this season is more minutes at the 4, which would add positional diversity to his already intriguing profile.Tedesco on Knight: I didnt like many of the guys available here, so ... maybe Knight gets traded to the Kings or something and puts up big numbers there?Engelmann on Russell: Some say point guards have the steepest learning curve in the NBA. With Russell having been only 19 years old in his first NBA season, I expect improvements across the board. It helps that a certain ball hog, ahem, has retired, which paves the way for Russell to increase his APG and overall usage. Wittyngham on Turner: Turner is a very high risk, high reward pick. The Indiana Rookie had peaks in his debut season, including a game of 31 points against the Warriors and a streak of 10-plus points in nine straight games. But he also disappeared and had games of very poor shooting. His upside? The Pacers went and signed Al Jefferson. Jefferson can become a mentor to turner and teach him post move scoring and effectively grabbing rebounds. His downside? He could very well fall and not be anywhere near his upside.Engelmann on Parker: NBA players often take a big step forward in production from their rookie season to Year 2. With Middleton gone and Dellavedova being more of a pass-first PG, Parker should see a healthy increase in PPG and FG percentage.Soppe on Booker and Dieng: I selected both players in our first mock, and it is no accident that both are joining Team Soppe again. I took them both a round higher this time around: Im investing with confidence in every draft. Build your team around Cousins, Booker and Dieng, and youve got my seal of approval for 2016. If it goes sideways, at least youve got an easy scapegoat, right?Karabell on Nowitzki: Dirk isnt young, so its understandable that he lasts so long in drafts these days. Except it doesnt make sense. He still scores. Great shooter. Some rebounds. Hes a huge value for where I got him. Dont shy away from the grizzled vets in redraft formats!Soppe on Collison: Although my draft strategy for these first two mocks might not bear it out, I am a supporter of going with an elite point guard in the early going ... but Im not forcing it. Leaving the first three rounds without a ball-handler wasnt the game plan, but once my roster took that form, Collison was the first point guard I put in my queue as someone I had to have. The Kings might not be very good, but they led the league in pace of play last season, and that carries significant upside for fantasy owners. Collison had his second-worst season in assists and set new career lows in number of starts and rebounds ... and he still finished ranked as PG16 on our Player Rater. There is no threat to unseat Collison in Sacramento, and I am absolutely loving the value you can get at his current ADP.Wittyngham on Randle: After a slow start in November last season, Julius Randle averaged or nearly averaged a double-double in each month the rest of the season. Under Luke Walton, he could follow his 2015-16 season with a better one. The thing is, for a big, he does not shoot well, nor does he defend the paint. Hell basically get you a 10-10 every night -- or something close.Carpenter on Wade:: Factoring in his lengthy injury history, age (34) and joining a team with a ball-hog point guard (Rajon Rondo) and a potential scoring star (Jimmy Butler), his ADP of 47 is a bit high for my tastes. But how could I possibly pass him up at 82? Even if he is willing to play second (or even third) fiddle for the Bulls, his efficiency will rise enough to make up for any notable dip in scoring or dimes and less pressure on him physically should help keep him healthier. Dont be afraid to grab him if he slides far enough in your drafts.Rosenstein on Hill: This might be a slight reach, but Hill is one of the most versatile guards in fantasy hoops, and he has a ton of young talent around him in Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Trey Lyles and Rodney Hood. I see his scoring remaining consistent and his assist numbers improving this season in Utah.McCormick on Bradley: Sticking with the theme of larceny, Bradley is another steals maven who actually earned First Team All-Defensive honors last season. With Evan Turners high-usage, ball-dominant skill set in Portland, Bradley should see more minutes and enjoy more touches as a key combo guard for the Celtics this season. Like Crowder, Bradley enjoyed a surge in 3-point production last season and merits interest as a low-cost, high-floor guard this year.Kaiser on Embiid: At pick No. 104, I knew I couldnt wait another round and still get Philadelphias talented center with my next pick at No. 117, so I jumped at the chance at the high-upside player. Although risky, these are the types of players I believe you must take a chance on after pick No. 100, and I was very happy to get Embiid, who has a chance to be a stat-stuffing big man in terms of rebounds, blocks, assists and 3s. He looks great this preseason, and if the mock took place this week, I bet hed go higher than No. 104.Tedesco on Matthews:?It might not be rational, but I believe in Wes Matthews. That Achilles injury is awful, but if Wes bounces back, I like his value here.Engelmann on Gordon: With the Rockets announcing theyll have Harden playing points guard, Gordon will probably not have the ball in his hands a lot, but I expect the DAntoni Rockets to play at a significantly faster pace. Gordon will also certainly have the green light to bomb away on 3s. Given that hes a career 38 percent 3-point shooter, the Rockets seem like the perfect match. Cheap Red Wings Jerseys . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Red Wings Jerseys China . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. https://www.cheapredwings.com/ . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Detroit Red Wings Gear . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Red Wings Jerseys 2020 . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. NEW YORK -- After Usain Bolts dominating performance in the 100-meter semifinals, NBC track analyst Ato Boldon summed up the chances that a rival could prevent the Jamaican from winning a third Olympic gold medal in tracks showcase event: You better hope he loses a shoe or something in the finals.He didnt lose a shoe -- or the race. Like with Michael Phelps, another Olympic headliner had come through with a crowd-pleasing performance.Its not supposed to be that easy, said Boldon, who suggested the accomplishment puts Bolt in the conversation for greatest athlete of all time.Boldon smartly explained what makes Bolt special: his ability to maintain speed when others decelerate, coupled with the long strides that make him virtually unbeatable in the second half of a race.Silver medalist Justin Gatlin was booed lustily by the crowd, most certainly a reference to the Americans two past suspensions for use of banned substances. Earlier Sunday, NBC aired a soft-focus feature on Gatlin that made you wonder if an athlete from another country under such a cloud would get the same treatment.Oh, wait. You have that answer. Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, painted as a villain by American rival Lilly King, did not.QUOTE: It has the feel of a heavyweight championship fight, and the champion has made his entrance. -- NBC track announcer Tom Hammond.NEGATIVE VIBRATIONS: Bob Costas didnt even have to get pink eye to set social media aflame. Plenty of armchair music critics didnt like his suggestion that Bolt had exceeded another legendary Jamaican, Bob Marley, in popularity.JONES AND SEACREST: NBCs first recipient of Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones burst of energy is late-night, or early-morning, host Ryan Seacrest.Hurriedly brought to Rio de Janeiro after her fan-girl social media posts about the games became an Internet hit, Jones is bringing the same enthusiasm in person. Shes giddy at meeting Shaun White and Kerri Walsh Jennings, and cries at the achievement of Simone Biles.Seacrest interviewed her early Sunday for his show, which begins every Olympic day at 12:30 a.m. To viewers steeped in cynicism, Seacrest had to broach the subject: Is this some kind of elaborate joke? Jones insisted it was genuine. I cant believe that my enthusiasm is the biggest thing going on, she said.It was a welcome jolt for Seaccrest, whose relatively buzz-free show was developed especially for Rio.dddddddddddd The hours centerpiece Sunday was a beach volleyball match featuring Americans Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena that took place too late for the prime-time show. There was also a thoughtful story about the Brazilian beach volleyball team of Larissa and Taliti, who live and train with Larissas wife, Lili, another professional volleyball player.As the two women showed off their wedding pictures, you wondered whether NBC would have thought it too risky to air in prime time. The piece should have dug even deeper: it never really explored why the couple werent teammates in beach volleyball, beyond Lilis simple declaration that love and work must be separate.Later, White turned up with an interesting story about skateboardings future as an Olympic sport. In sum, Seacrests show skillfully did what was intended -- appeal to the next generation of Olympics fans -- without being patronizing or heavy-handed.SYNCHRONIZE IT: Speaking of Saturday Night Live, its impossible for anyone of a certain age to watch synchronized swimming and not think of Martin Short and Harry Shearers classic skit. Then you feel guilty seeing how hard it looks and hearing NBCs Heather Olson describe a practice routine for Americans Mariya Koroleva and Anita Alvarez that includes ankle weights, which feels like a recipe for drowning. Olson said Sunday that Koroleva used to tell her teammates at Stanford that she was business under water, party above the water.NOW, THE NEWS: Thumbs up to Costas for not ignoring an unpleasant Rio story, leading Sundays telecast with news of the robbery of American swimmers, including Ryan Lochte. Lester Holt led NBCs Nightly News with the story, too.RATINGS: Phelps proved a draw for his final race in Rio, as 25.5 million people tuned in to watch NBCs coverage on Saturday night. The audience peaked at 32.7 million when Phelps was in the water. NBCs prime-time audience was 26.8 million with cable and streaming added in, compared to 28 million for the corresponding Saturday in London.---Follow David Bauder at twitter.com/dbauder. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/david-bauder ' ' '