Fantasy basketball allowed me to learn more about the players and the game! Before this year, I wasn’t really into watching the NBA games. However, after getting to know more players and observing them, I’ve started to pay attention and watch their games more often. As I watch them, in my mind I say, “GET THE REBOUND or GOOD BLOCK!!” Another thing I would say in my head would be, “Yup, that’s one and a half points (assist).” This is direct evidence showing how Fantasy Basketball has helped me gain a new perspective and understanding. Originally, I would only look at who was scoring the most points or doing the fanciest moves. However, after playing Fantasy basketball I began to pay more attention to every small detail that occurs, like a steal or a rebound, and how it affects the game.  

Fantasy basketball also helped me recognize certain players in the NBA I usually wouldn’t know about. For example, there is no way I would know a very skilled small forward/power forward player from the Toronto Raptors named Og Anunoby. A couple of days ago, on November 1st, Anunoby had an unbelievable night and scored a career-high of 36 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, for a total of 48.20 fantasy points! Some may say Og is the next Kawhi, but one thing I know for sure would be that Og Anunoby will be one of the best out there.

Something enjoyable in Fantasy for me would be the research behind the statistics for each player. You may be wondering why I’m invested in researching every player I’m interested in. I can firmly tell you this, I research the players to not only know more about them but also learn the benefits that they could provide. The benefits they provide help me understand whether or not it would be reasonable to hold or trade them. Knowing if the trade is one-sided or fair, is what excites me. I never knew I had this competitive side in me. 

Fantasy Basketball has affected my relationships with not only my friends but also my family. Barry Lopez expresses in Children in the Woods, how meaningful ideas deepen your friendships: “What takes a lifetime to learn, …, is the existence and substance of myriad relationships.” Valuable things in life take a lot of time to understand, which allows one to build relationships with a new variety of people. These would correlate back into Fantasy Basketball since it’s very complicated and helps me connect with people who also value Fantasy as much as I do.