Donovan Clingan vs LaMelo Ball: who to start in Week 1
Donovan Clingan plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), LaMelo Ball 3. For that week alone, start LaMelo Ball: 114.1 projected fantasy points to 67.8 for Donovan Clingan. Over the season, LaMelo Ball leads in points leagues (38.0 fantasy points a game to 33.9) and Donovan Clingan in 9-cat leagues (34th against 36th). The two go close together on our board, which is our own ranking order from 2025-26 and 2026-27 box scores, not ADP.
Updated Oct 22, 8:57 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #56
- 33.9 FP/G, slot 5.08, $17
- 9-cat leagues
- #34
- +1.2 z, slot 3.10, $22
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #38
- 38.0 FP/G, slot 4.02, $23
- 9-cat leagues
- #36
- +1.1 z, slot 3.12, $22
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: LaMelo Ball. 38.0 fantasy points per game against 33.9, 38th on our board to 56th.
9-cat leagues: Donovan Clingan instead, +1.2 in summed z-scores against +1.1 (34th to 36th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Donovan Clingan is ahead in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO) and LaMelo Ball in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, LaMelo Ball produces more: 48.8 fantasy points to 45.5, on 28.1 minutes a night against 26.8. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Donovan Clingan plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), LaMelo Ball 3. For that week alone, start LaMelo Ball: 114.1 projected fantasy points to 67.8 for Donovan Clingan.
Slots are where our board's order lands in a 12-team snake draft (round.pick), and dollars are auction value over replacement for 12 teams with $200 each. Neither is ADP: no free draft-position feed lets us republish it.
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Per game, side by side
| Per game | Donovan Clingan | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 33.9 | 38.0 |
| Minutes | 26.8 | 28.1 |
| PointsPTS | 12.1 | 20.1 |
| ReboundsREB | 11.3 | 4.6 |
| AssistsAST | 2.1 | 7.1 |
| StealsSTL | 0.5 | 1.3 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Threes3PM | 1.1 | 3.9 |
| Field goal %FG% | 51.6% | 40.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 67.1% | 88.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.2 | 2.7 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 77 | 72 |
Bold is the better number. The line blends 2025-26 with 2026-27 games as they are played, the same numbers the rankings use.
Per 36 minutes
| Per 36 | Donovan Clingan | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 45.5 | 48.8 |
| Points | 16.2 | 25.8 |
| Rebounds | 15.2 | 6.0 |
| Assists | 2.8 | 9.1 |
| Steals | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Blocks | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Threes | 1.5 | 4.9 |
| Turnovers | 1.6 | 3.5 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
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9-category z-scores
| Category | Donovan Clingan | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.8 | +0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | +2.5 | -0.5 |
| AssistsAST | -0.8 | +1.7 |
| StealsSTL | -1.3 | +0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.9 | -0.9 |
| Threes3PM | -0.5 | +2.3 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.4 | -2.3 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -1.0 | +0.6 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.8 | -1.1 |
| Total | +1.2 | +1.1 |
Each number is standard deviations above or below the top 156 players (a 12-team league's rosters). Field goal and free throw percentage are weighted by attempts, and turnovers count against.
If you punt a category
Punting rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to LaMelo Ball.
| Punt | Donovan Clingan | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +1.9 (#20) | +0.4 (#48) |
| REB | -1.6 (#118) | +1.8 (#26) |
| AST | +2.0 (#24) | -0.8 (#86) |
| STL | +2.5 (#19) | +0.4 (#51) |
| BLK | -1.0 (#89) | +2.2 (#24) |
| 3PM | +1.7 (#27) | -1.3 (#104) |
| FG% | +0.4 (#53) | +3.8 (#17) |
| FT% | +2.3 (#22) | +0.3 (#52) |
| TO | +0.2 (#58) | +2.3 (#32) |
Value is the sum of the other eight z-scores, recomputed with the punted category left out of the pool that sets them; the rank is among all 391 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Donovan Clingan: 2 games (Wed PHX, Fri @SAC).
- LaMelo Ball: 3 games (Wed @MIA, Fri @ORL, Sun TOR).
Recent games
- Donovan Clingan: 21.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 33.9 on the board.
- LaMelo Ball: 37.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 38.0 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Donovan Clingan playing tonight? · Is LaMelo Ball playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Donovan Clingan, LaMelo Ball
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Donovan Clingan or LaMelo Ball?
Points leagues: LaMelo Ball. 38.0 fantasy points per game against 33.9, 38th on our board to 56th. 9-cat leagues: Donovan Clingan instead, +1.2 in summed z-scores against +1.1 (34th to 36th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Donovan Clingan or LaMelo Ball?
Category by category, Donovan Clingan is ahead in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO) and LaMelo Ball in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Donovan Clingan or LaMelo Ball?
Donovan Clingan plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), LaMelo Ball 3. For that week alone, start LaMelo Ball: 114.1 projected fantasy points to 67.8 for Donovan Clingan.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 8:57 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number