The MBA Fantasy Basketball League was founded during the summer of 1993 in Aarhus, Denmark, after a suggestion from league member Jacob Schach Møller, hence the name 'Moellers Basketball Association' (MBA).
The MBA is a basketball fantasy league. A fantasy sports league simulates fictional games using statistics from
real sports games. Different statistics generated in games by real life players are compiled for each 'fantasy
game', and added together according to which players the different 'fantasy teams' have selected to their imaginary
'lineup'. Thus a fantasy team can bring together players from different real life teams in the same fantasy team lineup.
There are many different ways to run a fantasy sports league. The MBA basketball fantasy league is run under these major
guidelines:
NBA Fantasy League: The MBA is an NBA basketball fantasy league. Registered NBA players and game statistics
from the NBA regular season are used exclusively to simulate the fantasy games. Information about the National Basketball
Association is available at the league's offical web site (www.nba.com). A link can be found in the links section of
www.mbahoops.dk.
8-Team Keeper's League: The MBA has eight fantasy teams and is a 'keeper's league', which means the different
fantasy teams in some way or other keep the players they have selected to their fantasy 'roster' from season to season. In
the MBA this concept is taken to great lengths, even simulating a draft lottery and a rookie draft between seasons, forcing
the fantasy league members to consider their teams' immediate as well as future prospects.
The MBA keeper's league format
aims to challenge the MBA participants with some of the same types of questions, considerations and decisions that a real
NBA team's general manager and coaching staff are faced with. Is your team a contender to win the fantasy league? Or would
you be better off to begin a 'rebuilding process' by adding together a bunch of young and talented players, that eventually
could develop into future stars? Should you trade for a veteran all star and go for the trophy? Or should you take a chance
on a promising rookie player and wait for him to develop?
To be a succesful 'coach' in the MBA fantasy league, such questions
must be dealt with constantly. League members have to follow not only the performances of established pro basketball players,
but also have to keep up with the scouting of fresh talent and evaluation of young players with development potential,
including players from college, international and even high school basketball ranks, possibly headed for the NBA.
Head-to-head games: In the MBA fantasy league, games are simulated as 'head-to-head' games. This means that each
fantasy team is given a schedule of separate games against another fantasy team in the league.
In each fantasy game, two
fantasy teams compete against each other, the outcome decided by calculating and comparing each team's total statistical
output. Thus in the MBA, fantasy games are simulated as if they supposedly were actual games between two real teams. As the
results of the different fantasy games add up, it is the total game wins and losses of each team that decide the team's
place in the league standings, just as in real life.
The MBA fantasy season runs for 20 weeks, with a fantasy game each
week. According to the final season standings, the four teams with the best record (most wins) play against each other in
a simulated 'fantasy playoffs' for the MBA fantasy championship. The rest of the teams will have to settle for
participation in the draft lottery, hoping to improve their chances for playoff qualification come next season.
PARSB (with turnovers and missed shots): 'PARSB' is an acronym for Points + Assists + Rebounds + Steals +
Blocks. In fantasy basketball, this expression signifies that these five statistical categories are used to calculate a
fantasy teams score of 'fantasy points'. The MBA uses PARSB calculation, but has also added negative categories of turnovers
and missed shots. Here is the statistical formula used in the MBA for calculating each player's Fantasy
Points (FP):
FP = points + rebounds + assists + steals + blocks - turnovers - field goals missed - free throws missed
In the MBA fantasy league, Fantasy Points (FP) are calculated separately for each player in a fantasy team's lineup,
after which all players' FP are added up to a team total. The team with the highest FP total wins the fantasy game.
12-man Rosters, 1C/2F/2G: Each MBA fantasy team is allowed a roster of minimum 8 and maximum
12 active players. Of the 12 players, there must be at least 1 center, 2 forwards and 2 guards. An injured player does not
count among the roster players, so in case of injuries, teams are able to add extra players, exceeding the threshold of 12
for limited periods of time.
Weekly lineups, 5 starters + 3 bench players: Before each fantasy game, a lineup must be declared by each team.
A lineup consists of five starting players: 1 center, 2 forwards and 2 guards, and three bench players of any position, in
all eight players total. The fantasy points produced by the starting five players count at full value, while the three
designated bench players' fantasy points are divided by 2.
The fantasy points total of the eight lineup players is
the team's score for the fantasy game. Any remaining players outside of the eight lineup players are called 'reserves', and
have no influence on the fantasy game result.
Unlimited transactions, trading deadline, free agent contracts: During the course of the season, teams can
make changes to their roster. Players can be traded or released and new players can be added the team. Teams are allowed to
trade players and/or future draft picks until week 16, which is the trading deadline. Any NBA player that is not registered
with an MBA fantasy team is called a 'free agent', and can be 'signed' by any team with room on it's roster.
There is no
limit to the amount of roster transactions a team can engage in during a fantasy season, although free agents added to the
roster cannot be released from the team until four fantasy games have expired from the day of 'signing'. This last rule is
called 'four-week free agent contracts'.
If you are considering starting your own fantasy league, or are involved in fantasy basketball already, you might find
some inspiration in our fantasy league (hopefully). If you find the time, please write to the commissioner, who will always appreciate your
opinions and comments, and most surely be happy to answer any questions you might have on the subject of basketball.
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