Aleksej Pokusevski: Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups

Aleksej Pokusevski is worth considering as a fantasy basketball waiver wire pickup heading into Week 18 of the NBA season.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 12% of leagues

ANALYSIS: The 17-39 Oklahoma City Thunder have had to lean on creativity and optimism for the future in managing their 2021-22 roster. Without the playoffs being in the cards for OKC, many of their budding talents have spent significant time honing their game at the G League-level; but with Mike Muscala, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all sidelined (at least) until after the All-Star break, it came time for a little more trial by fire, a challenge that Aleksej Pokusevski quickly rose to. The 20-year-old Serbian measures 7'0 tall, 7'3 in wingspan, and 190-lb., and depending on what platform you use, you might find him eligible anywhere from SG/SF to PF/C, which fits with Pokusevski's wide-ranging skillset.

The 17th overall draft pick from 2020 has totaled 34 games played (25.1 MP) for the G League OKC Blue over the last two years, netting 7.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.9 blocks per game with 32 of 139 shooting from three (23%) and improvements in his field goal, free throw, effective field goal, and true shooting percentages during this campaign. Pokusevski's 2022 NBA stint started with shooting struggles and positional uncertainty towards the ultra-raw, unusually gifted prospect, resulting in his G League assignment from 1/9 to 2/5. Upon return, he has looked totally revitalized, putting up 52 points (13.0), 23 boards (5.8), five assists (1.3), four steals (1.0), and six blocks (1.5) through his first four games back in NBA action. He's been sharp from the field too, hitting both of his attempted FTs, 21 of 34 field goals (61.8%), and eight of 16 from deep (50%), adding to his improved true shooting and effective field goal rates of 46.4%/45.8% respectively.

He's playing 25.5 minutes per contest so far in February with two games of 30+ MP, wherein which he produced 16.5 points, 5.0 boards, a 127 ORtg off some lights-out shooting, 2.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks in each. His competition for front court/hybrid PT isn't super stiff, but if he has truly turned a corner in his development, sharing the floor with OKC's current cast won't be a hinderance: he's among team leaders in efficiency across every major statistical category with the ball-handling ability to tackle any position. Even at 20-25 MP, Aleksej Pokusevski now offers above-average passing and three-point shooting for his size/position, enough rebounding to get your weekly forward fill, and quick-handed defense from all locations, so with a "Unicorn" repertoire like that, he could be a colossal difference maker for folks in deeper formats.

More Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups

RotoBaller Writing and Media Team Nominated For 13 FSWA Awards in 2024

It's awards season for the fantasy sports industry, and RotoBaller is honored to be recognized by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) with various award nominations from our writing and media team in 2024. The RotoBaller brand continues to shine among the many talented companies and analysts throughout the fantasy sports industry for their editorial […]

RotoBaller February 13, 2025

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15 (2024-25): February 3 - February 9

If you're like me, you woke up to one of the biggest trades in recent NBA history (Luka for AD) and are still trying to make sense of it. It will likely be the biggest trade of the week, but it won't be the only deal made this week as Thursday's NBA trade deadline looms. […]

Dan Palyo February 2, 2025

League Winners: Second-Half Trade Targets and Stashes - 2025 Fantasy Basketball

Things have not gone as planned for fantasy basketball managers who drafted players like Joel Embiid or Jimmy Butler. But there's plenty of basketball left to be played and it's time to reassess how we view players going forward. If you want to win that fantasy basketball league championship, worry less about where your players […]

Dan Palyo January 30, 2025

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 (2024-25): January 27 - February 2

We flip the calendar to February this week and edge closer to both the All-Star break and the NBA trade deadline. Some of the moves you can make in the next few weeks could greatly impact your team's ability to compete for a fantasy championship in March or April! Most leagues have a weekly moves […]

Dan Palyo January 26, 2025

League Winners: Players To Stash For the Stretch Run - 2024 Fantasy Basketball

The All-Star Break is upon us and while it's nice to have some time off from setting lineups, making DFS lineups, and placing bets. It's also a nice time to look ahead and what moves you can make to put your team in the best position possible to win a fantasy basketball title. Remember, the […]

Dan Palyo February 19, 2024