Washington Wizards guard/forward Corey Kispert will be in the starting five for Wednesday's matchup against the Magic. He's replacing Marvin Bagley III (back) in the first unit. This will be only the third start of the year for Kispert. He's previously put up 15.0 points in 30.5 minutes as a starter, grabbing 2.0 rebounds and dishing out 3.5 assists. The 25-year-old has been in good form recently and boosted his scoring production to 17.3 points last month. The matchup with Orlando has suited him superbly this season, as Kispert has shot a sizzling 56.3 percent from downtown to average 14.3 points in three games.

Washington Wizards guard/forward Corey Kispert (illness) will be available on Tuesday against Golden State. He has shaken off a questionable tag and will return from a one-game absence. Kispert has a chance to play a larger role on offense Tuesday due to the absence of Deni Avdija (heel). He's been playing his best basketball of the season in February, putting up 20-plus points in five of his last nine appearances.

Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert (illness) is questionable for Tuesday's game versus Golden State. He didn't play on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of a non-COVID-related illness. But if the 24-year-old returns on Tuesday evening, he has a place in most fantasy lineups. There's also a chance Kispert will start if Deni Avdija (heel) misses a third consecutive game, which will only elevate his fantasy ceiling even more.

Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert (ankle) is dealing with a left ankle sprain and has been listed as questionable for the Monday night contest against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 24-year-old hasn't had to miss much time in his first two seasons and has only missed one game so far due to the ankle issue. The good thing is that he seems to be trending in the right direction leading into the new week. If Kispert has to remain sidelined, Bilal Coulibaly and Delon Wright would be solid streaming options for managers in desperate need of substitutions.

Washington Wizards guard Corey Kispert (ankle) wasn't active for Friday's matchup with the Miami Heat. He sprained his left ankle during the loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. The injury didn't look good when it happened. However, Josh Robbins of The Athletic gave fantasy managers a positive update by reporting Kispert "avoided a severe sprain." The 24-year-old is coming off a quality season, finishing the 2022-23 campaign by averaging 11.0 points and shooting 42.4% from deep. He is expected to improve on those numbers this season. But the swelling in Kispert's ankle needs to subside before he even thinks about getting back on the floor, meaning he'll likely miss a few more games moving ahead.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Washington Wizards guard Corey Kispert (back) is available and starting against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Kispert was questionable with lower back soreness, but will play through it and should be in line for a higher usage rate. The Wizards are very shorthanded with Bradley Beal (hamstring), Kristaps Porzingis (ribs) and Daniel Gafford (ankle) all out.

Washington Wizards guard/forward Corey Kispert (back) is regarded as questionable for Wednesday's meeting with Chicago. He is dealing with lower back soreness and might have to step aside for a bit despite enjoying his best spell of the season. Kispert has started five of the past six games, and he's been a solid source for points and rebounds during the stretch. In 21 starts in total this season, the 23-year-old has contributed 10.0 points per game with 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Kispert's absence would result in Deni Avdija and Will Barton getting extended minutes, with the former definitely the more attractive fantasy option.

Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert will move into the starting five for Thursday's game against the Utah Jazz. The Wizards will be without Deni Avdija (back) who is sitting this game out due to a minor injury. This means that Will Barton will play off the bench, so Kispert will get more chances with the starting unit. The fact Kispert is starting makes him a more appealing option for Thursday's slate.

Washington Wizards guardCorey Kispert (ankle) is expected to miss four to six weeks due to a sprained left ankle, according to the team. Kispert stepped on an opponent's foot during last Sunday's preseason game in Japan against the Golden State Warriors. With the regular season set to open on Oct. 19 at the Indiana Pacers, Kispert will miss at least the first few games. He was the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft, and he averaged 8.2 points in 77 games in his first NBA season for the Wizards. With Kispert unlikely to be ready for the start of his sophomore campaign, rookie first-rounder Johnny Davis will have an elevated role as a reserve to begin his first season.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

Washington Wizards small forward Corey Kispert knocked down a career-best six triples across 41 minutes during Sunday's win over the Warriors en route to a new career high of 25 points. The Wizards shot 57.1% from deep as a team, utilizing their elite three-point defense to hold Golden State to 24.2%. Kispert also tossed in three assists to bolster his impressive outing, as he has averaged 12.1 PPG and shot 42.4% from long range across 14 contests in March. While the rookie can be seen as a volatile DFS asset due to his dependence on the three-point shot, his starting role is unlikely to change over the final two weeks, giving him sound season-long appeal for those needing made triples in categories formats.

Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert will move into the starting five for Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls. He came off the bench on Thursday, but will return to the starting five here. The Wizards are shorthanded, so they're trying to be creative with their lineups. Kispert isn't exactly someone who jumps off the page in terms of stats. However, he could have some low-end streaming appeal while in the starting five.

Washington Wizards small forward Corey Kispert had a very memorable first career start on Thursday, going for 20 points in 33 minutes against the Knicks. He was a red-hot 6-for-7 from the field with a 4-for-5 effort from behind the arc and nailed all four attempts at the line. Kispert's special night included two rebounds and three assists with one turnover. The 22-year-old rookie has now logged 20-plus minutes in four consecutive games after previously having a very tough time getting any meaningful action. Teams continue to lose players to health and safety protocols, and there are currently a lot of unexpected heroes around the league at the minute, who can provide short-term value for fantasy managers.

Washington Wizards shooting guard/small forward Corey Kispert will be among the starting five for Thursday's game against the Knicks, marking the first start of his professional career. Kispert is taking the place of Bradley Beal (health and safety protocols) and stands to have elevated DFS appeal with the team needing to fill in for Beal's nearly 20 field-goal attempts per game. Kispert has played a limited role across his first 26 games, averaging just 3.9 points in 13.1 minutes per outing. It may be too soon to consider a season-long role for Kispert, but he has tournament DFS appeal so long as Beal is sidelined.

Washington Wizards shooting guard/small forward Corey Kispert (quad) has been listed as questionable to play in Saturday's contest vs. Utah due to a left quad contusion. Kispert has played a limited role off the bench in his rookie year, contributing 3.9 points across 13.1 minutes per game. The 15th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft figured to be a key contributor from behind the arc, but he has shot just 26.4 percent from three, zapping him of any season-long fantasy value. An absence would likely yield more minutes and long range looks for Deni Avdija, among other members of the Wizards' second unit.