The Knicks won it all, but their role players won fantasy basketball drafts, too
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Dan TitusFantasy analystThu, June 18, 2026 at 3:35 PM UTC·3 min readJalen Brunson had the better basketball season by any traditional measure — a 26-point, 6.8-assist campaign capped with All-Star, All-NBA, NBA Cup MVP, Finals MVP and the Knicks' first title since 1973. But in 9-category fantasy basketball, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges quietly outperformed him, finishing 34th and 43rd to Brunson's 46th, despite neither averaging more than 17 points a game. Their value came from being the perfect complements: defense, efficiency and executing their roles.
Anunoby's Finals performance was legendary. Bridges was well worth the picks. Let's dig into how they came out ahead of the superstar on their team, Brunson, in 9-cat.
AdvertisementAdvertisementDefense and efficiency wins
Here's the math behind it. Brunson had a 31% usage rate — among the highest in the league — and that kind of offensive workload comes with turnovers attached almost by design. But that's just the surface. Brunson's 9-cat shortfall stems from a lack of defensive and rebounding production. He's a near-zero in blocks, modest in steals and unspectacular on the glass. And can't forget the two turnovers a night. Anunoby and Bridges both build their case in the same core way: steals, 3s and shooting efficiency are the shared foundation that lets two sub-17-point wings outrank an All-NBA guard.
From there, the two separate slightly. Bridges never misses games and barely turns the ball over, while Anunoby pulls ahead by adding real rebounding and shot-blocking that simply isn't part of Brunson's game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThat separation barely registers in points leagues, where none of this matters. Anunoby and Bridges ranked just 87th and 104th in High Score, more than 50 spots behind their 9-cat finishes, while Brunson's scoring and assist volume kept him in the top 25.
The OG and Mikal profile?
And the part that should change how you draft: this isn't a Knicks thing at all. Pull the league-wide numbers and the same profile shows up (see below).
Andrew Wiggins, Jaden McDaniels, Ausar Thompson and a handful of others all sitting inside the top 100 in 9-cat on sub-20% usage. Wiggins and McDaniels are the truest mirrors of Anunoby and Bridges, specifically — same forward slot, same modest box score, same quiet category impact. Thompson is the extreme version: 9.9 points a night next to a 2.0 steal average on just 17% usage.
AdvertisementAdvertisementA few names in that group are worth a caveat, though — Collin Gillespie, Myles Turner and Donte DiVincenzo all shoot under 46% from the field, well off the efficiency Anunoby and Bridges bring, so they're not a clean match on that specific trait. But they still check other boxes that matter here — low usage, low turnover with real steal or block production — which is exactly why they're still worth knowing, even as outliers in shooting.
Worth noting, too, that the group is almost entirely guards and forwards — the rim-protecting bigs who'd otherwise fit this mold (Donovan Clingan, Onyeka Okongwu and Rudy Gobert) get knocked out by rebound totals alone, which says a lot about how specific the Anunoby/Bridges archetype really is.
So now what?
Back to the Knicks (it's Parade Day after all), if I were drafting today, I'd still take Brunson near the late-second, early-third round of any 9-cat draft — the volume he provides in scoring, assists and 3s is too valuable to pass up even with the category gaps attached. But volume isn't always king. That's the lesson here.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's the hustle guys, the ones who maximize their opportunities, shoot efficiently and limit mistakes, who quietly become the backbone of a fantasy team. Draft your stars, but don't sleep on the role players who win you the categories your stars sometimes can't.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
