2025 – what a start to the year we’ve had! Have we? It seems much of the same, to be honest. Here’s a fact – 2025 is a square number. Can you figure out what number it’s a square of without a calculator?
Fantasy Basketball Awards January 2025
Most Valuable Player – Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Stats: 14 GP, 34.7 MIN, 17.7 FGA, 0.585 FG%, 1.6 3PTM, 5.5 FTA, 0.857 FT%, 27 PTS, 12.8 REB, 11.4 AST, 1.9 STL, 0.8 BLK, 2.7 TO
The big fella takes back his spot at the top averaging a massive triple-double over the month (and the season). Overall for the season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains slightly ahead but both are a long distance ahead of the third place (Karl-Anthony Towns). Crucially, Jokic is currently setting career highs in points, assists, steals, made threes, and made field goals.
Rookie of the Month – Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Stats: 16 GP, 24.8 MIN, 9.2 FGA, 0.565 FG%, 1.3 3PTM, 1.8 FTA, 0.75 FT%, 13 PTS, 6.9 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.8 STL, 1.4 BLK, 1 TO
The 15th pick of the 2024 draft, Ware, started getting regular minutes in late December and has never looked back. Not only did he rise to the top of the Rookie of the Year odds but has also completely revitalized Bam Adabayo’s season. Adebayo had been, until recently, a huge disappointment.
Sophomore of the Month – Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
Stats: 12 GP, 33.8 MIN, 18.2 FGA, 0.466 FG%, 3.1 3PTM, 2.9 FTA, 0.743 FT%, 22.2 PTS, 13 REB, 3.2 AST, 1.2 STL, 4.1 BLK, 3.3 TO
In a category with only one competitor, Wembanyama makes it three out of three for the season. Perhaps he’s fallen off a little bit compared to the top players – Wemby was more of a top 10 player in January than a top 3 player. Still, all is going swimmingly and the De’Aaron Fox addition should give the whole team a boost. It will be interesting to see the switch to actually trying to win games.
Most Improved Player – Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)
Stats (2023-24): 62 GP, 22.4 MIN, 7.2 FGA, 0.536 FG%, 0.1 3PTM, 2.5 FTA, 0.684 FT%, 9.5 PTS, 6.6 REB, 2.6 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.6 BLK, 1.5 TO
Stats (January): 12 GP, 38.6 MIN, 12.4 FGA, 0.557 FG%, 0.2 3PTM, 6.2 FTA, 0.733 FT%, 18.7 PTS, 10.6 REB, 4.2 AST, 2.2 STL, 1.4 BLK, 2.2 TO
Amen Thompson had a whale of a month in January. He is now clearly a key part of the Rockets’ future and one of the most exciting young players in the league. For now, Thompson is getting by on his athleticism and can’t really shoot, which puts a limit on his potential but watch out once he does learn to stroke it.
Most Declined Player – Kyle Kuzma (Washington Wizards)
Stats (2023-24): 70 GP, 32.6 MIN, 18.8 FGA, 0.463 FG%, 2.2 3PTM, 3.4 FTA, 0.775 FT%, 22.2 PTS, 6.6 REB, 4.2 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.7 BLK, 2.7 TO
Stats (January): 17 GP, 27.8 MIN, 12.9 FGA, 0.409 FG%, 1.2 3PTM, 3.5 FTA, 0.559 FT%, 13.8 PTS, 6.1 REB, 2.9 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.2 BLK, 2.2 TO
I guess the novelty of being the only good player on an awful team has worn off. Perhaps Kuzma would feel invigorated by a trade but, for now, he is not really a useful category-league fantasy player. In fact, with his poor shooting numbers, he is a hindrance.
Best Single-Category Player – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) – FT%
Stats: 13 GP, 34.4 MIN, 10 FTA, 9.5 FTM, 95.4 FT%
Who would have thought that anyone but Victor Wembanyama could win this award but it has happened. Shai attempted 130 free throws in January making 124 of them. Some might say that he’s an excessive foul-baiter but, hey, it works. I even saw a clip of him earning a foul without the defender touching him so you know he’s good at it. All joking aside, 95% from the line is very impressive.
Performance of the Month – Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – 2025-01-23 vs. SAC
Stats: 37 MIN, 19 FGA, 0.632 FG%, 2 3PTM, 10 FTA, 0.9 FT%, 35 PTS, 22 REB, 17 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO
On his way to the Player of the Month award, Jokic put up multiple very impressive performances including the triple-double above. In total, he had three of the five best games of the month. The second best game of the month was by Daniel Gafford(!) with 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 blocks against the Hornets.
