NBA SIMS LEAGUE
NSL Premium – The Builder’s Dream
In the recent straw poll, one of the interesting yet overlooked questions was: Which NBA player would you most like to build around? In previous years the question has been answered with names such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant—the types of players who define eras and bend franchises around their brilliance. Others like Ja Morant and Zion Williamson have appeared in similar conversations in recent years, though their stock has fluctuated with the realities of injuries, off-court narratives, and team performance.
But this year’s poll felt different.
Across the 23 votes cast by NSL general managers, a new name dominated the conversation. The results were emphatic: Victor Wembanyama of the NSL Lakers ran away with the crown, collecting 11 of the 23 votes. It wasn’t merely a victory; it was a statement about where the league believes the future of team building lies.
Trailing him were elite talents such as Luka DonÄić (3 votes), Anthony Edwards (2 votes), Cooper Flagg (2 votes), and Evan Mobley (2 votes). A handful of other stars—including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—also received support.
What emerges from the results is a fascinating snapshot of how NSL GMs think about team building in the modern era: youth, versatility, two-way dominance, and long championship windows.
The Unanimous Future: Victor Wembanyama
If the poll revealed anything clearly, it is that the league is already preparing for the era of Victor Wembanyama.
At 7’4†with guard skills, defensive instincts that defy physics, and offensive upside that continues to evolve, Wembanyama represents the ultimate theoretical franchise cornerstone. His defensive ceiling alone changes the geometry of the court. A team with Wembanyama can deploy aggressive perimeter defenders knowing there is a skyscraper behind them erasing mistakes.
Offensively, the possibilities are just as intriguing. Wembanyama can operate as a floor-spacer, a pick-and-roll finisher, a transition weapon, or even a self-creator in isolation. His combination of rim protection and offensive gravity gives GMs a unique level of roster flexibility. Surround him with shooting and defenders, or build with multiple creators—the structure can take many forms.
For the NSL Lakers, owning the league’s most coveted foundational piece is both a blessing and a responsibility. Building the correct ecosystem around Wembanyama could define the franchise’s trajectory for the next decade.
The Established Offensive Engine: Luka DonÄić
Second place in the poll went to one of the league’s most proven offensive architects: Luka DonÄić.
Few players in basketball history have controlled the rhythm of a game the way DonÄić does. His blend of elite shot creation, playmaking vision, and physical size allows him to orchestrate an offense in a way that simplifies roster construction. Surround him with shooters and defensive role players, and the offense will hum.
DonÄić’s brilliance lies in his ability to manipulate defenses. Every possession becomes a puzzle that he slowly dismantles—drawing help defenders, spraying passes to the perimeter, or punishing mismatches in the post.
For many GMs, building around DonÄić represents the most reliable path to elite offense year after year. There may be players with higher defensive ceilings or greater athletic upside, but DonÄić’s offensive engine is already championship caliber.
Portland’s Treasure Chest
Perhaps the most fascinating subplot of the poll is not the winner—but the team that quietly dominates the leaderboard.
The Portland franchise, led by elite GM Jmac, owns three of the top five most desirable players to build around: Luka DonÄić, Anthony Edwards, and Cooper Flagg.
It’s an extraordinary concentration of star power and a testament to Jmac’s aggressive and calculated team building through trades. Acquiring one franchise centerpiece is difficult. Landing three potential faces of the league borders on astonishing.
Yet with that talent comes a complex challenge.
How do you build a cohesive system around three players who each have legitimate arguments to be the centerpiece of a franchise?
Anthony Edwards: The Ascending Superstar
Anthony Edwards’ inclusion in the top tier of the poll reflects his rapid rise as one of the league’s most electrifying two-way wings.
Edwards combines explosive athleticism with fearless shot-making and a defensive intensity that continues to grow each season. At his best, he looks every bit like the prototype modern superstar—capable of scoring 35 points while locking down the opponent’s best perimeter threat.
For roster builders, Edwards offers versatility. He can function as a primary scorer, a secondary playmaker next to a lead guard, or the defensive tone-setter on the wing. His personality and charisma also bring a level of leadership energy that teams often rally around.
In many franchises across the league, Edwards would unquestionably be the central pillar.
In Portland, however, he is part of a much larger equation.
Cooper Flagg: The Ultimate Two-Way Prospect
The youngest name near the top of the poll might also possess the most theoretical upside: Cooper Flagg.
Flagg has quickly developed a reputation as one of the most complete two-way prospects in basketball. His defensive instincts, anticipation, and motor allow him to guard multiple positions while impacting the game as a help defender.
Offensively, Flagg brings versatility rather than sheer scoring dominance. He moves the ball, attacks closeouts, rebounds aggressively, and plays with a level of basketball IQ that coaches adore.
For team builders, players like Flagg are gold. They elevate lineups without demanding the ball constantly, allowing star scorers to operate while still influencing the game at every level.
In Portland’s case, Flagg may actually be the connective tissue that makes the entire experiment possible.
The Portland Balancing Act
Imagine the challenge.
Luka DonÄić thrives with the ball in his hands orchestrating every possession. Anthony Edwards is at his best attacking aggressively as a scoring focal point. Cooper Flagg brings elite defensive value and versatile offensive contributions.
Each of them could lead a franchise.
The question for Jmac is how to design a system that maximizes all three without diminishing any of them.
One possibility is a staggered offensive hierarchy. DonÄić could remain the primary offensive initiator, controlling the tempo and creating advantages. Edwards could operate as the devastating scoring outlet—attacking rotating defenses and punishing mismatches. Flagg could fill the connective role, facilitating ball movement, defending elite wings, and covering defensive gaps.
In many ways, it resembles the blueprint of modern championship teams: a heliocentric playmaker, an explosive scoring wing, and a versatile defensive star.
But chemistry is never guaranteed when multiple superstars share the same stage.
Managing touches, personalities, and expectations will be just as important as the tactical basketball decisions.
Milwaukee’s Emerging Core
Another intriguing subplot in the poll belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks, where GM Ethan appears to be quietly constructing a formidable two-pronged foundation. Milwaukee boasts both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Evan Mobley—two players who received votes in the poll as potential franchise centerpieces.
Interestingly, Mobley actually received more votes than Gilgeous-Alexander despite SGA being widely regarded as the face of the Bucks’ franchise. It’s a subtle but fascinating signal from the league’s GMs about the perceived value of Mobley’s archetype. Elite defensive anchors who can switch, protect the rim, and grow offensively are among the most coveted building blocks in modern team construction.
For Milwaukee, however, the beauty may lie in the pairing itself. Gilgeous-Alexander brings the methodical scoring brilliance and late-game shot creation every contender needs, while Mobley provides the defensive backbone and interior versatility that elevates an entire system.
GM Ethan appears to have secured his foundational duo for the future. The next challenge will be constructing the right tertiary pieces around them—shooting, secondary playmaking, and defensive specialists who can amplify the strengths of the Bucks’ emerging core.
The Other Contenders
While the spotlight largely fell on Wembanyama and Portland’s trio, several other stars received recognition.
Evan Mobley’s defensive versatility and offensive development make him one of the most intriguing big men in the league. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains one of the most dominant physical forces in basketball—a player capable of single-handedly overwhelming opponents in transition and at the rim.
Cade Cunningham’s playmaking size and leadership potential also earned respect, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s methodical scoring brilliance continues to captivate observers around the league.
Each represents a different philosophy of team building, whether through defensive dominance, playmaking control, or scoring efficiency.
The Builder’s Dream
Ultimately, the poll reveals something fundamental about the mindset of NSL general managers.
The ideal franchise cornerstone is no longer just the best player. It is the player who offers the most pathways to building a championship roster.
Victor Wembanyama currently embodies that ideal more than anyone else in the league. His rare blend of defensive dominance, offensive potential, and positional versatility gives GMs the ultimate sandbox for roster construction.
But the story of the poll may not end with the winner.
Because while one franchise holds the league’s most coveted superstar, another may hold the most fascinating experiment in team building.
And if Jmac in Portland can find the formula to make Luka DonÄić, Anthony Edwards, and Cooper Flagg thrive together, the next great dynasty might not belong to the player who won the vote.
It might belong to the GM who collected three of the names on the list.