Giannis in 9-cat comes down to one question about free throws

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a first-round pick in points leagues without much debate, and in 9-cat he is the hardest early decision on the board. We project him in Miami, where the Bucks traded him this summer, as ESPN and NBC Sports both reported, for 31.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 blocks over 68 games, shooting 60.5% on 19.8 attempts and 63.7% on 11.6 free throws. Measured against the players on our 9-cat board, his field-goal impact is the largest of anyone in the analysts' 9-cat top thirty, and his free-throw impact is the worst single category of anyone in it. The Heat piece covers how he fits beside Bam Adebayo; this one is only about what to do with the two percentages.

Our 9-cat board puts him 9th, level with the analysts' consensus, and his rank swings more than any other early player's when you change what counts. Punt free throws and he is 4th; punt free throws and threes together and he is 3rd, behind only Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama. The decision is less about Giannis than about whether you are willing to build a roster that does not need the free-throw category.

Every player in this story is on the fantasy basketball rankings and the 2026-27 projections, and the NBA depth charts show where each one stands in his team’s rotation tonight.