Slate Overview
The Men's Olympic Basketball competition gets underway Saturday, and it is sure be an exciting few weeks of action.
With FIBA rules in play, DraftKings points will not be as easy to come by as you are accustomed to, and it will be rare to see players hit the 60-point mark on that website. As such, the high floors that stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama provide make them particularly attractive in DraftKings contests.
Starting lineups will also be crucial to note, so keep an eye out for those leading up to tip-off. Some details may be reported on X, so be sure to follow @RotoWire, @RotoWireNBA and @RotoWireEuro to increase your chances of getting the information you need.
Guards to Go After
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Dennis Schroder, Germany ($8,500)
Guards will not be easy to pinpoint during the Olympics and at the same time will be key to most slates, so I will start with a very fairly-priced Schroder, who was top-5 in usage during the friendly matches among these countries and helped lead Germany to gold at the last World Cup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada ($10,200)
I'm guessing Gilgeous-Alexander will be low-owned given the other pricier options and the competition for touches on Team Canada. As such, he could be a contrarian play at a position where most will not spend up.
Valuable Values
Thomas Walkup, Greece ($5,300)
There are plenty of unknowns when it comes to the mid-tier guards, but one thing I know is Walkup will play -- and play a lot. He fits the Greek team perfectly as a true pass-first point guard who will defend to the very end. Walkup could rack up at least three steals any time he takes the court, and I suspect he will start and get 30 minutes.
Yuki Kawamura, Japan ($4,800)
Keisei Tominaga, Japan ($4,600)
Yuke Togashi, Japan ($3,200)
For a team with a very solid foundation of former NBA players, there is a bit of a hole in the Japanese backcourt. As such, I will be going after one of these three in an effort to save some funds. All played solid minutes during the friendlies and were involved when on the court. Kawamura has the safest minutes, and I suspect he will start alongside Togashi. Tominaga is a sharpshooter who could come off the bench, but he will still be in play in GPPs.
Nando de Colo, France ($3,000)
The price is what makes de Colo so tempting here. Much like other guards who work off the bench he may only get 10-to-18 minutes, but that's going to be enough for someone, and I'm banking on the EuroLeague legend. de Colo's playmaking and shooting allow him to do damage in very little time, just as he does for ASVEL in France.
Maodo Lo, Germany ($3,800)
Lo popped several times in the World Cup, and although his floor is frustrating, Lo will benefit most if Schroder can't get going or gets into foul trouble. Lo can rack up steals and will shoot when out there.
Vitor Benite, Brazil ($4,100)
Raul Neto has bad luck when sporting the Brazlian jersey, and his latest injury leaves him in doubt for the opener. If he is unable to go, Benite is a candidate to step into a starting spot.
Isaia Cordinier, France ($3,000)
Matthew Strazel, France ($3,000)
These are a couple more min-priced options on the French side. Both drew starts during the friendlies and both bring different aspects to the team. Cordinier is a long two-guard who is a bulldog defender, whereas Strazel brings more of what I think this French team needs, which is a true ball handler who can create offense and shoot from the outside. I prefer whoever starts, as whoever doesn't is at risk of a DNP.
Forwards in Focus
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece ($11,000)
We have to start with Antetokounmpo, who is part of the game with the second highest total on the slate. The Greeks are underdogs, so I think we see max minutes and max usage from The Greek Freak, and that gives him the best floor and makes him the safest option among the top tier.
Rui Hachimura, Japan ($8,000)
His usage is in the same ballpark as the next two players on the list, but we get him for a much cheaper price. I think this will be a solid matchup for his style of game.
Franz Wagner, Germany ($9,500)
Wagner shined for Germany during the friendlies, and the FIBA rules very much suit his game. I feel like he could get overlooked due to his price, but I also think he has GPP-winning upside.
Victor Wembanyama, France ($10,700)
The phenom posted a sizzling 1.63 fantasy points per minute in the games leading up to this, but I don't think France pushes him to the max. I suspect around 23-to-25 minutes, but if he gets around 30 the ceiling is the roof.
Bruno Caboclo, Brazil ($7,500)
The minutes are ample for Caboclo, and if he stays out of foul trouble I think he could lead the slate in playing time. Plus, he recorded a very respectable 1.11 FPPM in the friendlies. At this rate I think he's a sneaky mid-tier option.
Valuable Values
Leonardo Meindl, Brazil ($3,500)
Following Caboclo in minutes on the Brazilian side is Meindl, who will benefit usage-wise from a Neto absence. This seems like a bit of a misprice by DraftKings, so he will be extremely popular -- and for good reason.
Yuta Watanabe, Japan ($5,800)
Watanabe is treating a calf injury and is questionable, but if we get word he's starting I think he makes for one of the best plays on the slate thanks to his price and talent level.
Yudai Baba, Japan ($3,200)
If Watnabe is forced to sit, it secures the minutes of Baba, who could be a fine dart throw.
Centers to Consider
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Rudy Gobert, France ($9,000)
He's probably the safest center option in a cash-game build. He's a good bet to pick up a double-double, tally some blocks and call it a day.
Daniel Theis, Germany ($7,300)
Johannes Voigtmann, Germany ($7,000)
Germany is anchored by these two big men. It seemed one or the other was in the winning lineup during each World Cup slate, and that could be the case again Saturday. It's one or the other for me, though.
Valuable Values
Lucas Dias, Brazil ($5,700)
I'm expecting Brazil to run a big lineup with Dias starting alongside Caboclo. Dias brings a great minutes floor at a position that lacks quality options among the starters.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Greece ($3,700)
He will come off the bench but can catch and shoot from the corner, rebound and block shots. At this price in what I expect to be a back-and-forth game, he has potential to be the surprise of the slate.
Georgios Papagiannis, Greece ($6,200)
He will start for the Greeks and can do a bit of everything even if he comes off as a plodding big man. I'm curious what his minutes will be if this game goes up-tempo, but if Greece slows it down to Walkup's preferred pace, Papagiannis could deliver against a weak Canadaian interior. Mitoglou is the guy I think gets the burn if the game winds up fast.
