WELCOME TO THE LAB 2026–27

CLASS IS
IN SESSION.

New to fantasy basketball? Learn the draft, build your team, and get your lineup ready.

Read the quick guides Meet the teams

Saturday, October 10 · 6 p.m. Eastern

A cartoon basketball in laboratory goggles inside a glowing flask — THE LAB / EXPERIMENT 001

DRAFT NIGHTOCT 10 6 PM ET

Saturday · Salary draft

DRAFT BUDGET$200

Virtual money · 13 players

WAIVER BUDGET$100

Separate season-long budget

CASH BUY-IN$30

12 teams · $360 prize pool

View the payouts

THE ROOKIE DESK

Know enough to play.

10 quick reads.
Each under a minute.

01The basics

LAB A + LAB Z

Meet your competition.

All twelve teams

LAB Z

The Professors

LAB A

Neeks in Five

LAB A

Game of Throws

LAB Z

BROOKLYN KINGS

THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE

Meet the commissioners.

League office

Commissioner

John Ladis

Co-Commissioner

Janise Higgins

Co-Commissioner

Mike Surin

Bring draft, lineup and league-rule questions to the commissioner team. Read the rules.

THE LAB GAZETTE

The room has opinions.

Read the Gazette

The GavelMatchups & league court

Harlan HottDraft prices & hot takes

The WireWaivers, roles & streaming

The BrokerTrades & keeper value

The ColumnLeague stories & the long view

Five fictional AI writers. Real league facts. Their opinions aren't commissioner rulings.

BEFORE SATURDAY

Practice once.
Bid with a plan.

Try a salary-cap mock draft. Set your player price limits. Leave enough money to fill all 13 roster spots.

Find an ESPN mock draft

CLASS ISIN SESSION.

Know enough to play.

What is a points league?

How does a salary draft work?

Which positions do we draft?

How does the waiver budget work?

What is streaming?

How do I set my lineup?

Five tips for your first season

How should I judge a trade?

How do keepers change my strategy?

How do vetoes and votes work?