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Oct 16, 2025, 06:30 AM ET

HAENAM, South Korea — Two decade-long veterans on the LPGA Tour — 32-year-old Sei Young Kim and 34-year-old American Lindy Duncan — were among the leaders after the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship on Thursday.

Kim had eight birdies and an eagle for a 10-under 62 to top the leaderboard at the Pine Beach Golf Links. Duncan was two strokes behind after making birdies on three of her final five holes.

In between the pair was Hyo Joo Kim, who shot 63.

Sei Young Kim joined the LPGA Tour in 2015, a year after Duncan. The big difference is that Kim has 12 career LPGA victories and Duncan none.

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Kim moved to 9 under and the lead with a birdie on the par-3 15th hole.

“This is near my hometown, so I have lots of family, my cousins, a lot of fans,” Kim said. “So I had a great start from the first hole and all the way through 18th hole, getting a lot of support.”

Rio Takeda shot 65 and was in a group tied for fourth.

Canadian Brooke Henderson shot 67, while American Lucy Li, who had a hole-in-one on the par-3 13th and won a car, had a 68.

“It was a good number into the wind. I hit it right at the pin,” Li said of her ace. “Thought it might end up a little short, but it went in. I just started freaking out. I was like, this is the hole-in-one hole. I’ve been complaining all week to my caddie about having not holed out this year.”

Hannah Green, who is the defending champion, started off with consecutive birdies but stalled throughout her round and finished with a 68, as did fellow Australian Minjee Lee.

Green’s win last year was her third of the 2024 season, making her the first Australian player since Karrie Webb to win three times in a season on the LPGA Tour.

Green’s recent finishes on tour include a tie for 28th and a missed cut in Canada in August and a tie for 66th in Arkansas in September.

“My golf game hasn’t been quite where I would like it to be. The last few months has been probably the most hard time I’ve had in my career,” Green said before the first round. “I was back in Australia for the last three weeks, so was able to reset.”

This is the first of consecutive tournaments in South Korea, with the International Crown team event scheduled for next week.

Jeeno Thitikul last week became the first multiple winner on the LPGA Tour this season with a five-hole playoff victory in Shanghai over Minami Katsu, who shot 68 on Thursday in South Korea. Thitikul is not playing this week but will be part of Thailand’s team in the International Crown next week.

After the International Crown, two more LPGA events are scheduled on the five-event Asian swing at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and in Japan.

Anyone can list the best players in the NBA, but basketball is as much about chemistry as it is talent. Within each of the league’s 30 teams is a hierarchy, and how well each of the five players on the court understands and performs his role within that hierarchy is every bit as important as his individual skill.

While depth was vital to the success of the Thunder and Pacers last season, and we understand coaches often say, “It’s about who closes the game; not who starts it,” the pursuit of a roster’s most cohesive five-man unit is still paramount. Three oflast year’s top four starting lineups on our list — the Thunder, Knicks and Timberwolves — reached the conference finals.

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In this series, we rank each team’s starters for a broader look across the league. Ideally, a lineup has its superstar, a deferential co-star, a third star who owns his role, a fourth option and a fifth starter to tie it all together — clear Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. How close does your team come to an ideal lineup?

(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

No. 2 options: The Deferential Co-Stars

What is a No. 2? Here is how we described him last year:

He is, generally, the team’s second option on offense. He can be an All-Star. In fact, he better be one if you want to compete for a title. Maybe his skill level is a hair below his top teammate. Maybe his skill set is more complementary. Or maybe his personality is more obsequious.

Whatever the case, he understands he is not the No. 1, and that is what is most important. Teams do not reach their potential when the No. 2 believes he is the No. 1. All the greats had a Hall of Fame No. 2, and all of them knew where they stood. Bill Russell had Bob Cousy. Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen. Larry Bird had Kevin McHale. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had Oscar Robertson, then Magic Johnson, and then Magic flipped it. Shaquille O’Neal had Kobe Bryant, who then had Pau Gasol. It has a way of sorting itself out.

We should add: Defense is a complementary skill! And maybe the most important one among No. 2 options. If a team’s No. 1 is ball-dominant, and he almost always is, then his offensive responsibilities often leave slack to be picked up on the defense end. How a co-star supports his leading man is every bit as important as his athleticism or skill. There is a little more dirty work to be done when you are a second option.

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What we have to decide here, then, is how to rank these players, by skill or by how well they complement a team’s top dog. Let’s call it a combination of the two, inviting even more subjectivity into this exercise. We ranked every co-star. You can debate us on their merits. And we’ll have fun doing it. How about that?

Lastly, we sourced these lineups and each player’s status within them with beat reporters around the league. We appreciate everyone who casted a roster; there are too many people to thank in this space. And we recognize that not every player listed here will be in an opening-night starting lineup. Injuries occur. Coaches change their minds. But just know that this is our best guess at the rotations we will likely see most often from each team.

On Monday, we ranked the No. 1 options. Without further ado, your five best No. 2s …

1. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

Welcome to our most controversial decision of 2025.

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Is Williams a better player than LeBron James right now? There is some question about that. James had the superior traditional statistics last season. He averaged a 24-8-8 to Williams’ 22-5-5, scoring more efficiently, too. This is probably why James appeared on the All-NBA second team, while Williams cracked the third team.

However, Williams surpassed James in several advanced metrics last season, including Daily Plus-Minus:

And Estimated Plus-Minus:

(via Dunks and Threes)

(Dunks and Threes)

This is probably because Williams also made the All-Defensive Second Team as someone who can and did defend all five positions. His impact on both ends of the floor was arguably broader. It easily was in the playoffs, where James’ Lakers were ousted as third-seeded favorites in five games of a first-round series with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams, playing on an injured wrist that required offseason surgery, helped the top-seeded Thunder to the title, even scoring 40 points in a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

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What cannot be argued, really: Williams is the better complementary co-star to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City than James is to Luka DonÄić in Los Angeles. There is overlap in the ball-dominant skill sets of James and DonÄić, and neither helps the other on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Williams is exactly who OKC needs him to be. Sometimes more, rarely less. He can and does do a bit of everything.

If you need everything from James, he might be able to give it to you on any given night. But if you are asking me: Who is the best No. 2 in basketball right now for the entirety of a season, including playoffs? I think you would be better suited to pick a 24-year-old rising co-star of a championship team over a 40-year-old who will miss the start of the season to sciatica, even if that 40-year-old is LeBron Effing James.

2. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

What else is left to say about James? He is unquestionably on the Mount Rushmore of NBA legends, along with Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar and Russell. How you want to order them is your business, but nobody has sustained his greatness for as long as James has. Did we mention he is 40?

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Do you know how good you have to be in order to be among the league’s best second options at the age of 40? Your days as an All-NBA performer cannot be behind you. And James has proven, when healthy, he is still one of the league’s 15 best players. Remarkably, he has not missed an All-NBA team since 2004.

This season? It isn’t starting out great. Sciatica will, at the very least, cost James the first week of his 23rd campaign. Any time anyone mentions the phrases “40 years old” and “sciatica” in the same breath, I can feel the pain in my own backside, but this is LeBron James we’re talking about. He’s been a superhuman force for more than two decades, and we’ll not believe Father Time has him beat until the game is called.

That said: There is some question about his fit with DonÄić, especially on the defensive end. The Lakers allowed 117 points per 100 possessions whenever James and DonÄić were in tandem last season, which would have ranked 26th in the league if averaged over a full season. That weakness was their fatal flaw, and the Lakers did little to address it over the summer, choosing Deandre Ayton as their rim protector.

There is also some question about whether James understands he is the Lakers’ second option. He has never been that in his career — until now — and while he has said all the right things since Los Angeles’ acquisition of DonÄić, there is a difference between saying what is necessary to win games and doing it.

3. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

Besides Williams, Mobley was the only other player to crack both the All-NBA and All-Defensive rosters, making the second and first teams, respectively. He was also the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

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The 24-year-old’s traditional statistics — 19-9-3 on 56/37/73 shooting splits — may not jump off the page, but he is capable of everything on a basketball court at nearly 7 feet tall, drawing favorable comparisons to a young Kevin Garnett. Offensively, he is a threat from the perimeter, the post or anywhere between, generating open looks as a scorer, a passer and a screen-setter. On the other end, he can defend all five positions in space or at the rim. He is long and athletic and skilled, all the physical attributes you’d want.

Is he as manically driven toward superstardom as KG was? That is the question, for Cleveland’s prospects as a title team — and not the second-round fodder it has been for the past two seasons — hinge on the development of Mobley. Here is a vote of confidence in his pursuit of an even higher spot on this list.

4. Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors

Butler was a No. 1 option for the Miami Heat when last we visited this exercise a year ago and a damn good one at that. He led the Heat to NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023 and demanded a trade last season once it became clear he could no longer reach those heights with their deteriorating roster.

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He landed in Golden State, where the Warriors were phenomenal in his brief time on the team. They finished 23-7 down the stretch with him in the lineup, outscoring opponents by double digits per 100 possessions whenever he was on the floor. They ousted the second-seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs and only lost in the Western Conference semifinals once Stephen Curry was hurt.

While Butler can still be a bona fide No. 1 if need be, his skill set is perfectly suited to complement any superstar, including Curry. He creates turnovers on defense and does not commit them on offense. Likewise, Butler gets to the free-throw line on offense and does not foul often on defense. He wins possessions, and over the course of a 14-year career that relentlessness has won more games than not.

5. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks

If only Butler knew how close Towns has drawn to him on this list. Towns was once considered a losing player, perpetually missing the playoffs on the Minnesota Timberwolves. They broke through to the 2024 Western Conference finals with him as their second-best player, supporting Anthony Edwards, only to trade him to New York, where he helped Jalen Brunson’s Knicks to the 2025 Eastern Conference finals.

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That’s right: Karl-Anthony Towns, my friends, is a winning basketball player. The Knicks were seven points per 100 meaningful possessions better when he was on the court during the regular season, according to Cleaning the Glass, and even better (+8.7) in the playoffs, ousting the defending champion Boston Celtics.

There is still some concern about whether Towns’ defensive issues — along with those of Brunson — will ultimately set New York’s ceiling below championship level, but the East is as open as it has been in some time. If they are to win it, it will be on the defensive improvement of Towns, but as is he is an All-NBA third-team member who averaged a 24-13-3 last season on 53/42/83 shooting splits. Pretty freaking good.

The honorable mentions

6. De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs

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7. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic

8. Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

9. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

10. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

11. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

12. James Harden, LA Clippers

13. Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves

The rest

14. Derrick White, Boston Celtics; 15. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers; 16. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks; 17. Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors; 18. DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings; 19. Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans; 20. Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns; 21. Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks; 22. Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets; 23. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets; 24. Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons; 25. Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers; 26. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers; 27. Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks; 28. Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards; 29. Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls; 30. Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz

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The Warriors will be without several starters for their third game of the 2025 NBA preseason.

Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford and Moses Moody all will miss Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, coach Steve Kerr told reporters Saturday (h/t ESPN’s Anthony Slater).

Kerr already had informed media members on Friday that Butler would be away for Sunday’s game as an excused absence, stating the reason was positive.

Meanwhile, Kerr said Curry is “banged up,” but the plan is for him to play Tuesday against the Trail Blazers in Portland.

Horford made his unofficial Warriors debut in Golden State’s preseason opener last Sunday, finishing with three points, four rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal. He was a plus-13 in 14 minutes.

Moody, after leading the Warriors with 19 points and five 3-pointers last Sunday, will miss the game in Los Angeles due to a calf issue. Kerr said Moody will undergo an MRI later Saturday, but the team believes it is minor.

The Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Quinten Post.

Strength in numbers will be tested early this season.

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SHANGHAI — Arpichaya Yubol shot a bogey-free 8-under 64 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA’s Shanghai tournament.

The Thai player, whose career-best round is a 61, had four birdies on each of the front and back nines on the Qizhong Garden Golf Club.

Minjee Lee, who won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June for her third major title, was in a group of five, a stroke behind. Jenny Shin, Jenny Bae, Jeeno Thitikul and Ina Yoon also shot 65s.

Lee said she navigated the difficult bumpy greens at Qizhong the best she could with her broomstick-style putter. Most of the greens are brown and patchy due to the extreme heat and humidity of Shanghai.

“I feel like with how the greens are, the conditions, I managed pretty well to make, what, seven birdies, so it was nice day for me,†the Australian said.

Ashleigh Buhai, the 2022 AIG Women’s Open champion, shot 68. Defending champion Ruoning Yin had a 71.

The Shanghai event is the first of five tournaments in Asia. There’s two weeks in South Korea, including the International Crown team event, and other tournaments in Malaysia and Japan.

Last week, Youmin Hwang extended the incredible streak on the LPGA of having different winners at each of the 25 official tournaments this year. Hwang was the sixth player from South Korea to win on the LPGA this year.

For every player a fantasy manager deems worthy of reaching for in fantasy drafts, thereâ€s another theyâ€ll actively look to avoid, especially if their average draft position (ADP) is too high.

With that in mind, Rotoworld basketball analysts Cole Huff, Noah Rubin, Raphielle Johnson and Zak Hanshew each picked two players they are fading at ADP for this season. Check it out below.

On a more positive note, you can see some of our staff favorites for 2025-26 here.

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Cole Huffâ€s picks: G James Harden (LA Clippers) and C Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers)

This is not meant to be a knock on Harden — I trust that he will continue to lead the Clippers and could record one of his more efficient seasons shooting the basketball in quite some time, due to a presumably lighter load throughout the season. Given Kawhi Leonardâ€s good health to start the season, the additions of John Collins and Bradley Beal as potential scoring boosts to the starting lineup, and an actual reliable point guard in Chris Paul now on the roster to prevent Harden from being overworked, the scoring and overall usage should probably come down a bit for the former league MVP.

This could all change quickly if age is a factor for this veteran team and Harden is forced to shoulder the load again out of necessity. But if health is not a concern, Iâ€d expect The Beard to finish more closely to a top-10 point guard finish than a top-5.

As for Zubac, Iâ€m not as high on him this season from a fantasy standpoint; Iâ€m expecting his production to dip a bit, like Harden. He cracked 30.0 minutes per game for the first time in his career last season and set career-bests in points, rebounds, and assists per game by a comfortable margin. But context is essential — Zubac missed only two games all season and saw increased opportunities (which he took advantage of) due to the rosterâ€s clear lack of a second reliable big.

With Brook Lopez backing him up as arguably one of the best reserve centers in the NBA, and John Collins able to offer small-ball center looks, thereâ€s a good chance we see Zubac on the court less throughout the 82-game slate.

Noah Rubinâ€s picks: G Jalen Green (Phoenix Suns) and F DeMar DeRozan (Sacramento Kings)

Iâ€m happy Green is getting the opportunity to start fresh in Phoenix. I think it is the best thing for his career. However, I donâ€t know why anyone would expect a dramatic change in production in his first year away from Houston. According to NBA.com, Greenâ€s usage rate last season was 26.7, the highest mark on the Rockets. Sure, Devin Booker (28.5) and Kevin Durant (28.3) both boasted higher usage rates, and Green is set to replace Durantâ€s touches, but do we really expect Green to get the same opportunities as KD? And even if he does see a bump in usage, does that mean he will magically get more efficient or impact the game in new ways?

Iâ€m not saying Green is going to take a step back, but the idea that heâ€s worth a top-75 pick just because heâ€s in Phoenix isnâ€t something Iâ€m on board with. He certainly has a stronger case in points leagues, but Iâ€m not expecting a dramatic jump in production, and he finished 79th in Yahoo! standard scoring last season.

It might just be time for DeMar. Heâ€s been one of the more consistently available players in the league for the past decade, but his athleticism isnâ€t where it used to be. Thatâ€s entirely understandable for a 36-year-old, but it just means he isnâ€t as effective as he used to be, and heâ€s on a team with multiple ball-dominant players. One stat that showcases athleticism is rim attempts, and he only took 9.3 percent of his shots last year in the restricted area after being at 22.2 percent the year before and at least 18 percent each of the three years before that.

DeRozan is typically a player who creates most of his shots on his own. Still, he created his fewest shots per possession since 2015 and took more shots off passes from his teammates per possession than he has in any individual season for the past decade. Thatâ€s basically nerdspeak for “DeRozan is getting old.†I donâ€t see a world where heâ€s better than last season, especially with the lack of changes the Kings made, other than bringing in Dennis Schröder to take even more touches away from DeMar.

Early ADP data shows that some players are potentially being overvalued by fantasy managers.

Raphielle Johnsonâ€s picks: C Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) and F RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors)

Average draft position analysis can be tricky this time of year, as there isnâ€t much data to rely on. However, Sabonisâ€s first-round ADP in 12-team leagues is a bit concerning. While heâ€s undoubtedly been a fantasy stud in the past, I think his value will take another hit this season. After last seasonâ€s trade deadline, Sabonis averaged 16.4 points, 13.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 three-pointers per game. While the Kings have addressed the point guard position by adding Dennis Schröder, Sabonis will still have to exist in a lineup that includes two ball-dominant perimeter players in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The Kings†centerâ€s rebounding production may not suffer, but the scoring is a concern.

As for my other pick, there are also ADP concerns regarding Barrett. As of Tuesday night, he had an ADP of 82.4 in Yahoo! leagues. Barrett has never been a top-100 fantasy player in totals or per-game value, and heâ€s had just one top-150 season in his NBA career. For him to have an ADP comfortably within the top 100 at this juncture is wild. And even though Barrett looked good in Torontoâ€s preseason opener on Monday, heâ€s in a starting lineup that will include three other players who need to have the ball in their hands in Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Will there be enough touches available for Barrett to threaten top-100 value, much less finish within that threshold? I say no.

Zak Hanshewâ€s picks: C Alperen Åžengün (Houston Rockets) and G Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)

Şengün finished with 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.3 triples while shooting 49.6% from the floor and 69.2% from the charity stripe. Despite productive numbers as a scorer, rebounder and facilitator, the points, assists, steals and shooting percentages were all steps down from his 2023-24 numbers. With Amen Thompson expected to continue his ascension as a playmaker, Kevin Durant ready to come on board as a scorer and rebounder and guys like newcomer Clint Capela and breakout candidate Tari Eason on track to eat up minutes and usage, how can Sengun be expected to take a step forward in 2025-26?

Heâ€s Nikola Jokić and Domantas Sabonis lite, but he doesnâ€t rebound as effectively as Sabonis, score as prolifically as Jokic, and pass as well as either. Sengun is being overvalued and overdrafted, and I wonâ€t be rostering him anywhere.

Brunson enjoyed another productive season in 2024-25, finishing with averages of 26 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.3 triples across 34.5 minutes. The superstar guard has offered elite scoring and strong playmaking in his time with the Knicks, though his big numbers have come at the cost of heavy minutes and high usage. With Tom Thibodeau out in New York and Mike Brown in, expect the Knicks to limit minutes across the board consciously.

Brunson finished 50th in per-game fantasy value a season ago, but thereâ€s no way he approaches that production level moving forward. With a new game plan and additional role players – Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon – look for Brunsonâ€s playing time and statistical output to decrease.

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What is a sleeper? There can be multiple interpretations of who the word can apply to, and there are so many factors that can impact that. Depending on league size, scoring format or even fandoms within leagues, players are valued uniquely in every single league.

In my mind, a player is a “sleeper†if consensus isnâ€t high enough. Some of these players are sleepers in the more traditional sense that you can find them on the waiver wire or trade for them pretty easily. A few may already hold decent value, but I think there is still a ton of untapped potential there.

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So basically, this is a list of dynasty sleepers, but that doesnâ€t mean every player on this list will be a sleeper in your league. I would say that dynasty leagues should roster 250-300 players at minimum, but some people play in leagues that roster 150 players, and I have a league that can roster over 600 players, depending on how many IR spots are being used.

Some of these players may be such deep cuts that you shouldnâ€t consider rostering them in your dynasty league that rosters 200 players. Others may not qualify as a sleeper in a league that rosters 400+ players. And of course, if youâ€re playing with friends that are all fans of the same team, theyâ€re probably all well aware of a player that most may consider as a sleeper.

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Here are 11 players Iâ€d consider sleepers in dynasty leagues:

1. SG/SF Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards

I was lower on George entering last yearâ€s draft, but his rookie season really impressed me. He averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.7 three-pointers per game. His shooting ability was arguably his strongest attribute entering the league, but he shot really poorly during his first year at 37.2 percent from the floor and 32.2 percent from deep. Iâ€m confident his shot will come around, and his defense and playmaking were both really strong for a rookie. The Wizards have a lot of young talent on this roster, and George sticks out as one of the more well-rounded.

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2. PG/SG Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings

Eventually, someone is going to give Ellis a consistent starting job, and heâ€ll quickly become an elite player in fantasy. This may or may not be the year. The Dennis Schroder signing doesnâ€t give me much hope, but Ellis is talented enough to be worth hanging onto, and he can still be productive in a reserve role. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers in 24.4 minutes per game last season. All he needs is a chance, and he can be a dominant source of threes and defensive stats.

3. PF Nikola Jovic, Miami Heat

I think Jovic has the chance to be an excellent late-round value pick in redraft leagues, which means that his dynasty value could skyrocket quickly. That just means you need to acquire him before the hype train leaves the station. Last season, Jovic averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 three-pointers in 25.1 minutes per game. I already had Jovic pinned as a dynasty sleeper, but Erik Spoelstra starting him over Kelâ€el Ware only makes this more true. Miami is going to need help on offense with Tyler Herro (ankle) sidelined, and Jovicâ€s presence in the opening group will help with that. He could break out sooner rather than later.

4. C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets

Sometimes, dynasty sleepers arenâ€t long-term options. They can also be players that are being undervalued that are set up to have a run of success, but they can quickly become overrated and should be traded after that. Kalkbrenner fits that mold. The center rotation in Charlotte is wide open, with Kalkbrenner competing with Moussa Diabate and Mason Plumlee. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.7 blocks per game for Creighton last season as one of the best players in college basketball. Thereâ€s also, of course, the chance that Kalkbrenner could end up having a successful NBA career after dominating college basketball. Many dynasty managers may be scared off by him being 23 years old, but thereâ€s a path for quick and sustained success.

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5. SF/PF Jake LaRavia, Los Angeles Lakers

The 2022 first round pick spent the first two years of his career in Memphis before being traded to the Kings at the deadline last season. He hasnâ€t seen a consistent role with either of his two previous teams, but he has a chance with Los Angeles this season. LaRavia should play a significant reserve role for the Lakers, which will give him an opportunity to finally live up to his potential, though in a limited capacity. However, it wonâ€t be long before LeBron James retires. LaRavia could get the first opportunity to be the small forward of the future in Los Angeles. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 three-pointers per game between his time with the Grizzlies and Kings last season.

6. PF/C Jonathan Mogbo, Toronto Raptors

When Mogbo got the chance last season, he was able to turn in some excellent performances. In 18 starts during his rookie year, Mogbo averaged 7.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Heâ€s not much of a shooter, but the well-rounded production makes him an enticing fantasy option. The short-term downside is that Toronto has multiple players that fit this mold as well in Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. Playing all three together could create headaches for opposing teams when Toronto is on defense, but those same headaches will be replicated when the Raptors are on offense. Whether it is with Toronto or elsewhere, Mogbo has intriguing potential.

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7. C Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic

Though the Magic may prioritize Wendell Carter Jr. in the lineup, Bitadze was a fantastic fantasy option last season when he was given the opportunity. It may not be with Orlando, but Bitadze could end up being a valuable player with a new team. In 42 starts last year, Bitadze averaged 9.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.8 blocks in just 24.9 minutes per game. WCJ fits better alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner due to his spacing ability, so this could be another scenario where Bitadze ends up breaking out on a different team. The encouraging thing is that weâ€ve already seen it happen. Now, we just need him to get an opportunity to play a large role somewhere else.

8. SF Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers

The 2024 first round pick is going to get a chance to shine early on with Darius Garland (toe) sidelined to start next season and Max Strus (foot) set to miss a few months. Tyson wonâ€t start unless there is another injury, but he had success when he played a large role last season, which includes a 16/11/7/2 line in a start in November and a 31/7/4/3/1 line with four triples as a starter in April. He also averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.7 threes per game during summer league.

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Donovan Clingan is among the second-year players with top-100 potential heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.

9. C Oso Ighodaro, Phoenix Suns

Phoenix added Ighodaro in the second round of the 2024 draft, and he showcased some enticing upside during summer league. They put the ball in his hands, and he was able to average 12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in Las Vegas. If theyâ€re able to develop him into a seven-foot ball handler, the sky is the limit.

10. C Adem Bona, Philadelphia 76ers

When Joel Embiid has been sidelined, Bona has turned in some impressive performances, and it appears that heâ€ll get the opportunity to play a large role often this year. Over the final two months of last season, Bona averaged 10.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game while shooting 70.7 percent from the floor. With Embiidâ€s health always in question, Bona could get a chance to play a significant role this season.

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11. PF/C Mouhamed Gueye, Atlanta Hawks

Gueye was the starter in place of Jalen Johnson down the stretch of last season, and while he didnâ€t play big minutes, he was effective when he was given the opportunity. He played at least 20 minutes nine times last year, and he averaged 9.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 threes per game while only exceeding 25 minutes once. In that game, he played 33 minutes and grabbed 18 rebounds. Gueye may not get as much of an opportunity for what should be a better Hawks team this season, but heâ€s worth stashing.

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With the preseason now in the books, the Ottawa Senators cut their roster from 31 to 24 players on Sunday afternoon, with seven players ticketed for the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

Stephen Halliday is waivers-exempt, so he’s been loaned directly to Belleville. Jan Jenik, Hayden Hodgson, Olle Lycksell, Arthur Kaliyev, Lassi Thomson and Mads Sogaard have been put on waivers for the purpose of a loan to the B-Sens.

Many fans today are pointing to last fall when Adam Gaudette was placed on waivers at the end of camp, yet he still made the Senators†opening-night NHL roster. But that’s not likely to happen with any of todayâ€s assignments, which are specifically labelled for the “purpose of being loaned to Belleville.”  According to Puckpedia, Gaudette didn’t have that label when he was waived last year.

So, all seven of these players are expected to report to Belleville if/after they clear waivers, and that leaves just one extra player in camp that the Sens have to let go before Mondayâ€s 5:00 p.m. deadline because the NHL’s maximum roster size is 23.

Tyler Kleven and Drake Batherson are still dinged up right now, so the Sens are probably waiting for one more day of healing before making the decision on who their last cut will be.

For example, if Batherson is still hurt, MacDermid would likely move into the starting 12 for Thursdayâ€s opener. At the same time, the team probably wouldn’t want to head for a two-game Florida road trip this week with no extra forward. So one of the forwards who was placed on waivers today would probably be recalled for the trip. If that happens, the Sens might keep one fewer defenseman than they were planning.

Thatâ€s just one of the potential variables, and thereâ€s nothing to say the Sens couldnâ€t decide to roster 22 players if they choose and go with just one extra D and one extra forward.

If nothing else, Kleven and Batherson are close to returning — even if they miss opening night. So the last cut between now and tomorrow is likely a defenseman, and weâ€re still of the opinion that Carter Yakemchuk will end up in Belleville, where heâ€ll get to play big, important minutes.

With today’s news, here’s what a sample lineup might look like if they go with a full 23-man roster.

Forwards

Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux

Fabian Zetterlund – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – David Perron

Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Michael Amadio

Kurtis MacDermid (extra)

Defence

Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence

Nikolas Matinpalo (extra #1) – Donovan Sebrango (extra #2)

Goalies

Linus Ullmark – Leevi Merilainen

The Senators open the 2025-26 regular season in Tampa Bay on Thursday night, taking on the Lightning.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Senators Land A True NHL Heavyweight In A Deal With The Devils
More Senators Broadcast Changes: Marc Methot Out At TSN
Reviewing Four Of The Nastiest Moments From Senators–Canadiens Game On Tuesday
Brady Tkachuk On Starring In Prime Video Show: ‘I’m An Open Book To Begin With’
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Sens Goalie Linus Ullmark Says He Enjoys The Struggle

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Alyssa Godfrey is taking some time away from her day job delivering babies in hopes of delivering birdies this week. Godfrey is one of 132 competitors in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship field, which begins with the first stroke-play round at Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Dunes course in Pebble Beach, Calif., on Saturday. The U.S. Women’s Mid-Am is open to players who are at least 25 years old by the opening day of the championship and have a USGA Handicap Index that does not exceed 9.4. The field is determined by 29 qualifying sites around country.

A competitive junior player in her home state of New York, Godfrey attended Wake Forest University but did not play golf for the Division I program. Post college, she got back into playing at her home club of Meadow Brook on Long Island, and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am on her first try earlier this year. Godfrey is one of three players from her club who qualified for the Women’s Mid-Am.

“In the past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed starting to play some more local tournaments with women,” Godfrey said earlier this week. “I think it’s really such a wonderful community of adult women to play with. I wish I’d had the demeanor and the patience now at 30, back when I was in high school. I don’t have a ton of formal golf experience, but I’ve played my whole life.”

As an OB/GYN PA, Godfrey is one of several players with notable professions in the field. Also competing: NBC Sports/Golf Channel broadcaster Emilia Doran, golf writer Gabby Herzig and LPGA hopeful Brooke Seay, who recently graduated from Stanford with a master’s degree in epidemiology and clinical research.

How does Godfrey balance a demanding career with playing high-level golf? She says she makes an effort to play two to three times a week, and credits her supportive team of fellow clinicians at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital.

“Over the summer, I kind of build my schedule around a couple of golf tournaments that I have team coverage for, which is really amazing,” she said. “I work, obviously, in women’s health and I work with a lot of women. And it’s just a good reminder that, outside of your career, you can have other interests that you pursue, and it’s really nice to have a team behind me at work who kind of makes that happen for me.”

And how many of her colleagues know what a high-level player she is?

“I have three attendings who texted me this morning,” she said. “They are all emotionally invested and cheering me on, which is really fun.”

Godfrey and her fellow competitors will play 36 holes of stroke play this weekend, with the top 64 players moving on to match play. You can find the entire U.S. Women’s Mid-Am schedule of play below. For more information on the championship and to follow live scoring, click here.

2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am Championship schedule

Saturday, Oct. 4: (Stroke Play, Round 1, 18 holes)

Sunday, Oct. 5: (Stroke Play, Round 2, 18 holes)

Monday, Oct. 6: (Round of 64, match play)

Tuesday, Oct. 7: (Round of 32/Round of 16, match play)

Wednesday, Oct. 8: (Quarterfinals/Semifinals, match play)

Thursday, Oct. 9: (Championship Match, 18 holes)

Part of the process of crafting a fantasy basketball team, whether it’s in a snake draft or a salary draft, is finding positive value. Can you unearth a potential “diamond in the rough,” or pay a lower cost for an elite talent than expected? Doing so can make all the difference between winning a league and finishing out of the money.

However, in addition to seeking those players, fantasy managers need to identify players who should probably be left alone based on their average draft positions. Below is a list of ten players who should not be drafted at their current ADPs, beginning with a player who’s led the NBA in rebounding three straight years.

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ADP data credit: Hashtag Basketball

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves-Media Day

Fantasy Basketball Draft Prep Guide: 2025-26 rankings, strategy, sleepers, mock draft results, and more

Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworldâ€s fantasy basketball draft coverage.

1. C Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

Yahoo! ADP (as of October 2): 10.9

Sabonis’ production isn’t up for debate. However, his ADP as of October 2 was a bit too high. Last season, he appeared in 70 games, averaging 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.9 three-pointers. While Sabonis’ rebounding and scoring output held steady compared to his 2023-24 production, the assists decreased by more than two per game. The Kings added DeMar DeRozan last offseason, but that wasn’t the most problematic roster change.

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Sacramento traded point guard De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio just before the February deadline, adding Zach LaVine as part of the multi-team deal. From February 6 onward, Sabonis averaged 16.0 points, 13.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 three-pointers per game. It’s possible that the Kings addressing the point guard position by adding Dennis Schröder helps, but he’s another playmaker who needs to have the ball in his hands. That may negatively impact Sabonis’ assist value and scoring opportunities.

2. PF/C Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

Yahoo! ADP: 16.9

Many expect Banchero to be a breakout player this season after recording career-highs in points, rebounds and three-pointers in 46 games played in 2024-25. However, expecting second-round value from the Magic forward may be a bit ambitious, given Banchero’s fantasy history. He’s yet to produce a top-100 season in either per-game value or totals, and the same can be said of his per-36 fantasy numbers according to Basketball Monster. Can Banchero produce a top-100 season? Given his talent and the changes made to the Magic roster, absolutely. However, expecting a top-20 season, which is what his current ADP implies, is a bit much.

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3. SF/PF LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

Yahoo! ADP: 18.3

There’s no denying James’ greatness, and for him to be as effective as he was last season was nothing short of remarkable. That said, he’ll turn 41 in December, which may result in more injury management measures being taken despite the Western Conference being loaded. James has played at least 70 games each of the last two seasons, the first time he’s done this since his final three seasons in Cleveland. In 2018-19, James was limited to 55 games played. LeBron did finish last season as a top-20 player, exceeding his Yahoo! ADP of 24.5. Expecting similar production, especially with the Lakers entering their “Luka DonÄić era,” may prove to be unrealistic.

4. PG/SG Deâ€Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs

Yahoo! ADP: 26.8

Fox’s first full season in San Antonio has already gotten off to an inauspicious start, as he’ll likely miss the beginning of the regular season with a hamstring injury. Also of concern is the potential production, especially with a healthy Victor Wembanyama set to command touches after missing the post-All-Star break portion of last season due to injury. In 17 games for the Spurs last season, Fox averaged 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 three-pointers. While the rebounds took a slight hit and the assists increased compared to his pre-trade numbers in Sacramento, Fox’s scoring decreased by more than five points per game. To approach top-25 value as some expect him to, Fox will need to boost those numbers as part of a lineup that will be more talented (and healthier) than it was last season.

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5. SG/SF Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Yahoo! ADP: 30.5

Brown’s preseason fantasy value has been boosted by Jayson Tatum being sidelined by a ruptured Achilles tendon and the Celtics losing multiple rotation players by trade or free agency. The roster changes set Brown up to be a more productive player, but this also means opposing defenses will pay even more attention to him defensively. Brown, who underwent knee surgery during the offseason, has just two top-50 fantasy seasons to his credit. And the early ADP does not take into account the possibility of the occasional rest day, especially if the Celtics aren’t a factor in the East.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks

Fantasy Basketball Forwards 2025-26: Top 50 rankings, season outlooks, key stats

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis lead the way in our forward rankings while phenom rookie Cooper Flagg joins the fold.

6. C Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers

Yahoo! ADP: 36.2

Zubac enjoyed the best season of his NBA career in 2024-25, posting career-best averages in points, rebounds, assists and steals. However, expecting the 7-footer to approach top-30 value for a second straight season is a bit much, especially with the additions the Clippers made during the offseason. The two most impactful moves concerning Zubac were the signings of John Collins, who will likely start at the four, and Brook Lopez to fill the backup center role. Zubac played 32.8 minutes per game, the first time his average as surpassed 30 minutes. It would be unsurprising if his playing time dipped under 30 in 2025-26, thus lowering Zubac’s fantasy ceiling.

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7. SG/SF Josh Hart, New York Knicks

Yahoo! ADP: 49.8

Hart was likely a league-winning player for many managers who selected him in drafts ahead of the 2024-25 season, as he was nearly a top-25 player in per-game value and nearly top-10 in totals. However, that was under Tom Thibodeau, who was more than willing to have his best players log heavy minutes. Hart moving to the bench during the Eastern Conference Finals may have been a harbinger of what’s to come, especially with Mitchell Robinson being healthy. Add in a new head coach in Mike Brown, and Hart’s fantasy ceiling may be lower than many managers believe it to be. Also, he underwent surgery on his right index finger in July and aggravated the injury during an offseason workout. Hopefully, that won’t be a serious issue during the regular season, but the finger injury is something else for fantasy managers to consider when evaluating Hart.

8. SG/SF RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

Yahoo! ADP: 77.4

Based on his early ADP numbers, there’s no shortage of managers who believe Barrett may have a top-75 season in him. Based on Toronto’s roster and Barrett’s fantasy history, those expectations are unrealistic. Barrett has yet to finish a season ranked inside the top-150 in per-game value, and he has one such season in roto (2020-21). As for the roster, the Raptors also have Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes healthy, not to mention Brandon Ingram, who’s fully recovered from the ankle injury that limited him to 18 games last season (all with the Pelicans). Given the number of players who will command touches within the Raptors system, Barrett’s ADP is too high at this point in the preseason.

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9. C Kelâ€el Ware, Miami Heat

Yahoo! ADP: 83.7

Ware had a productive rookie campaign, finishing sixth in Rookie of the Year voting and averaging 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.1 blocked shots per game. After moving into the starting lineup in January, he averaged 10.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.2 blocks in 27.8 minutes while shooting 54.4 percent from the field. However, Ware will have to earn the right to remain in the starting lineup, and Miami’s lack of proven bigs behind Bam Adebayo could result in the Heat staggering Ware and Adebayo’s minutes more than they did down the stretch last season. Is a top-100 season possible? Absolutely. But betting on Ware to finish safely within that threshold is a serious roll of the dice.

10. PG/SG Keyonte George, Utah Jazz

Yahoo! ADP: 113.0

George recorded improved averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals and three-pointers last season, which was his second in the NBA. However, he was moved to the bench in favor of then-rookie Isaiah Collier, who offered more as a distributor and defender, in late January. Collier may not have done enough to claim the starting point guard job as his own, as evidenced by Utah’s decision to use one of its first-round picks on former Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. Unless he’s somehow out of the rotation completely, which should not happen, Expecting George to approach top-100 value with Utah’s current logjam at the point guard position is overly optimistic.

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Ethan Salas (Photo by Matt Thomas/Padres via Getty Images)

Less than a week from Opening Day, the Arizona Fall League has altered its rosters. This is common practice and will likely happen several more times before the six-week season concludes in November.

Among the notable changes was the removal of Padres catcher Ethan Salas, who played just 10 games this season due to a back injury. He was replaced by another San Diego catcher, Lamar King Jr. The team also swapped in righthander Kannon Kemp for fellow righty Isaiah Lowe.

Those were far from the only shakeups on the league’s six rosters.

• The Braves added lightning-armed righthander Jhancarlos Lara, who has big-time stuff but struggled with command and control in a season split between the upper levels.
• The Dodgers removed speedy outfielder Kendall George, who swiped 100 bases this season. In his stead, they added infielder Nico Perez and catcher Jesus Galiz.
• The Blue Jays added infielder Cutter Coffey, whom they acquired from Boston last summer in the deal that sent catcher Danny Jansen to the Red Sox. Coffey, 21, produced a .786 OPS with 11 homers this year at High-A Vancouver.
• The Astros removed outfielder Zach Cole, who earned his first big league callup this season and homered four times in 47 at-bats.

Looking for all of Baseball America’s comprehensive Arizona Fall League coverage in one place? Check it out here.

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