Fantasy Basketball: Pick-up or Pass on 6 players who stepped in season openers

Fantasy Basketball pick-up No. 2: Jaden Ivey needs to be rostered everywhere.

Every year, people forget to draft rookies in fantasy basketball and every year, they regret it. Somehow, someway, the hype of the four players who went before him and the one player to go after him overshadowed just how much of a stud Detroit Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey is. Although people are drawn to his dynamic athletic ability, Ivey is far more skilled than the traditional high-flying guard. He doesn’t rely on athleticism, instead using his pure basketball talent to score at three levels and create offense for others.

Ivey’s usage was somewhat dulled by a Purdue system that prioritized its bigs, but that didn’t stop him from shining on the biggest stage. Now that he’s on a Pistons team that’s actively putting the ball in his hands, we’re going to see the best of Ivey as a playmaker and scorer around the floor. He’s no slouch on defense either, using his 6-foot-4 frame and wiry strength to push opponents around when driving and accelerating.

Ivey put up 19 points, four assists, three steals and three rebounds in his NBA debut. Don’t be surprised if you see plenty more stat lines like this in the future. Rookies tend to have peaks and valleys, but the potential Ivey boasts makes him a no-brainer pickup wherever he’s available.