Dynasty Fantasy Basketball Rookie Small Forwards to Watch with Noah Rubin
Our series continues with the small forwards from the 2025 class. This group is full of polarizing prospects, but there is a lot of upside if things pan out. Landing spot will be a big factor for these players, so all eyes will be on the draft, which is now less than three weeks away. As you prep for your rookie drafts, let’s talk about five small forwards that you need to know about.
Ace Bailey
There isn’t a more polarizing prospect in this class than Bailey. If you watch his highlights, you’re going to see a future All-NBA wing. If you look at the numbers, you won’t be sure how this guy is a lottery pick. The 6’8.75” forward averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.3 blocks and 1.6 threes per game for Rutgers last season. Outside of Dylan Harper, who is practically locked in as the No. 2 pick, Bailey didn’t have much help, and Harper missed a bunch of time last season. The hope is that Bailey, who won’t turn 19 until August, will continue to develop as a scorer, and that he’ll be more effective as a passer and on defense while playing with more talent around him. There are certainly red flags here, but there is enough upside that he’s likely going to be a top-five pick in the draft, as well as in your rookie draft.
Noa Essengue
Essengue is still playing in the German BBL playoffs, and the recent results have been mixed. The 6’9” wing won’t turn 19 until December, but he’s already making an impact in the postseason of a professional league. He had 22 points and 14 rebounds in Game 1 of their semifinal series, but he was held to seven points and eight rebounds in Game 2. We’ll see how he continues to perform as the series progresses, but there is a ton of upside here on both ends of the floor. He’s dealt with a lot of foul trouble this season (he fouled out of Game 2 in just 15 minutes), but a lot of the other numbers are encouraging. Playmaking isn’t a strong skill for him, but he’ll fit in well with teams that need a two-way off-ball wing at the end of the lottery.
Carter Bryant
If you just look at what Bryant did this past season at Arizona, you’d be confused why he’s being considered in the first round. You might be astonished to hear that he’s been soaring up draft boards and could be a top-10 pick. He played 19.3 minutes per game and averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 0.9 steals, 1.0 block and 1.1 threes per game. However, the 6’7.75” wing has nearly a seven-foot wingspan and a 39.5” vertical, and he projects to be an impactful two-way player, though he’ll really make his money on the defensive end.
Liam McNeeley
The former five-star prospect didn’t enjoy a great season at UConn, and the result is that he’s going to slide in this draft. He was considered a top-10 prospect before the season, but after he averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 threes per game while shooting 38.1 percent from the floor and 31.7 percent from deep, he isn’t going to be taken in the first 10 picks. He’s a better shooter than what he showed in college, and he can do more than just shoot, but a lack of defensive production is going to limit McNeeley’s fantasy impact in the NBA, especially in category leagues.
Noah Penda
The allure of a player like Penda is that he can do a little bit of everything. He’s a jack-of-all-trades type wing. There are more question marks on offense than there are on defense, but the defensive ability should be enough for teams to get excited about him in the late teens and early 20s of this draft. The 6’8” wing boasts a 6’11” wingspan and is a solid passer for his position. Whether he lands on a rebuilding team that wants to put the ball in his hands and help him develop or with a win-now team that wants him to fill a role, Penda will find a way to be effective.
Check back next week as we take a look at power forwards.
Noah Rubin - NBC Sports Rotoworld
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Robbin Marx
NBA Fantasy Analyst
Experience: NBC Sports - Rotoworld, HashTag Basketball, Bleav Network
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