How to draft for Circled Hoops

Last updated October 30, 2026

Most draft rankings assume every game counts. In Circled Hoops a starter gives you his single best-chosen game each week, which changes who is worth taking early.

What is different here

Because only the circled game counts, durability matters less than in a season-total league: a player who misses a game a week still gives you his circled one. What matters is how good his good nights are and how often they come.

What to value

A high ceiling. A player who regularly has huge games is worth more than one who is steady but never spikes.
Efficiency. With misses costing a point, efficient scorers hold their value. See Scoring explained.
A secure role. Minutes are the base of every stat line. A starter in a settled rotation beats a talented player whose minutes swing night to night.
Bench depth late. Late picks become your bench backups, so players whose teams play late in the week are useful there.

Positions and utility slots

You start 2 guards, 2 forwards, a center and 3 utility players, who can be any position. With three utility slots, you rarely need to reach for a position. Take the best player, and fill the center slot when a good one is left.

Snake, auction and the clock

New leagues use a live snake draft; commissioners can choose an auction instead, with $200 budgets by default (a game currency, never real money). Queue players ahead of time: if you miss a pick, autopick takes your queue first, then the best player available. The pick clock is 90 seconds by default and can run from 5 seconds to a full day for a slow draft. When it ends, every team gets a letter grade.

More guides

The full rules are on How to play, and every guide is listed on the guides page.