One of the hardest decisions some fantasy basketball managers faced this season was choosing between Nikola Jokić or Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick. Now that the 2024-25 NBA season is reaching the halfway point, it’s time to pick the early winner of the Jokić vs Wembanyama fantasy debate.
Early Winner of the Jokić vs Wembanyama Fantasy Basketball Debate
The Case for Nikola Jokić
31.5 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 9.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 2.3 3s, 55/47/81, 3.3 TOV
To no surprise, Jokić is putting up another MVP-calibre campaign. He’s posting some of his best numbers yet and has elevated his offensive game. The six-time All-Star is averaging over 30 points and two three-pointers for the first time in his career. He leads the NBA in points per game and 3P%, also ranking second in assists and third in rebounds. Among centers, Jokić is first in assists and second in steals.
One of the Serbian’s best fantasy assets is his versatility. Jokić has slightly lacked in threes in previous years but doesn’t hurt any category besides turnovers. He’s also not a big shot-blocker but provides enough to be solid. Most notable is the big man’s contributions to the main stats. Currently, Jokić has a league-most 14 triple-doubles, with no other player reaching the double-digit mark yet. Additionally, he is in the top five for total points, rebounds and assists. Another notable area is his efficiency. His numbers from the field and free-throw line are effective, even with his FG% dropping from previous seasons and his FT% being the lowest of his career. Defensively, he also makes an impact, setting a new personal best in steals per game.
His consistency and availability are also remarkable. Per Hashtag Basketball, Jokić’s season consistency across 31 games is 87.1% (how frequently he reaches at least 65% of his average seasonal performance). Likewise, the 29-year-old has only missed five games so far in 2024-25 due to the birth of his child and illness. He has only played under 70 games once in his 10-year career. Overall, Jokić’s dominance in all these areas is why he’s been a top-two fantasy player for the past several years.
The Case for Victor Wembanyama
25.1 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 4.0 BPG, 3.3 3s, 48/35/87, 3.6 TOV
Generational talent Wembanyama finished his rookie year as the sixth-ranked player in category leagues. This season, he’s on track to finish in the top two. Through 32 contests, he’s already been on another level and is posting higher numbers in several categories, except for assists and steals (down 0.2 or less from 2023-24). Most focus on Wembanyama’s elite defensive production, but the 21-year-old’s leap offensively deserves recognition.
The seven-foot-three big man’s most significant improvement is his beyond-the-arc scoring. He is nearly doubling his three-point field goals per game, even leading all centers in 3PM and averaging the 15th most in the league. Likewise, his scoring has increased on more shot attempts. Wembanyama has also taken leaps in his efficiency, notably from the foul line. His conversion rate is up 7.7 percentage points from last year. The Frenchman also contributes to the playmaking column and is one of the top 10 centers in assists per game.
What fantasy managers really love the former No. 1 overall pick for is his elite defence. He is undoubtedly the best shot-blocker in the NBA, averaging the most swats by a large margin. Wembanyama has already totalled 127 blocks, with no other player eclipsing 80 yet. He is yet to have a game without a block in 2024-25 and has 25 games with at least three blocks. His lengthy wingspan is also useful as a disruptor to grab steals. Thanks to his height, the DPOY candidate is also dominant on the glass and has recorded some monster double-doubles. Similar to Jokić, his only negative attribute is turnovers. While some were underwhelmed by his “slow” start and concerned by his knee contusion, Wembanyama repeatedly showed why he’s called an alien.
The Early Winner
The Jokić vs Wembanyama fantasy debate is difficult to judge. Both were the consensus first and second picks in drafts and are phenomenal players in their own ways. Regardless, having the first or second overall pick was a tough but win-win scenario.
Hashtag Basketball currently ranks Wembanyama first in category formats and Jokić second. Their value is 0.19 points apart. In points leagues, per ESPN’s scoring system, the 29-year-old ranks first (69.80 fantasy points) and the sophomore is third (58.30). Statistically, Jokić has the advantage in every category except for blocks, threes and free throw percentage. He is also touted for his durability, consistency and versatility. Wembanyama is phenomenal in blocks and defence, is developing an elite offensive game, has practically no ceiling and is one of fantasy’s most exciting players as a cheat code.
Half a season of basketball is still left to be played, and the results at the end could change. But for now, the early winner is Jokić.
