How to win at Dunkest? Tips from the Champion

There is no magic formula for winning at Dunkest, but strategies, habits and small adjustments can make a major difference over the course of a season. So to talk about it, we asked Fabio Ravera, one of Dunkest’s longtime players, for some help.

Fabio has been playing since the very first season, and his résumé speaks for itself: over the years he has won pretty much everything, from individual Gameweeks to the Overall Standings, as well as the Dunkest Cup, not to mention numerous runner-up finishes and other top placements. In short, he knows Dunkest extremely well.

So we asked him to open up his playbook and explain how he approaches a season: from building the team to choosing the coach, the captain, managing game windows and dealing with those last-minute news updates capable of blowing up a lineup that took days to prepare.

And for anyone looking for a few names to circle, at the end of the article Fabio also shared his special tips for the opening Gameweeks, including potential value gains, gambles and stars worth targeting.

Credits first, standings later

The first lesson is about roster construction, and it starts with an idea Ravera developed through experience: you do not play the same way throughout the entire season.

In the opening Gameweeks, the standings can wait. The main goal is to build value, even if that means sacrificing a few points in the short term.

At the beginning, I tend to put the standings in the background. I mainly focus on creating significant value gains for the rest of the season, even if that comes at the expense of a better score in the early stages

Fabio Ravera

It is a strategy that helps lay the groundwork for the following months, when the number of games increases and, above all, there is finally enough data to move beyond simple gut feelings.

That is when the approach changes. Ravera starts analyzing matchups more closely and how defenses perform against different positions, without becoming a slave to the numbers. Current form comes first: if a player is in a great stretch, it may be worth riding the hot hand even in a less-than-ideal matchup.

In the final part of the Regular Season, another variable comes into play: motivation. Looking at the NBA standings, the preference goes to players and teams that still have something to fight for.

I’ve noticed that some players’ production changes in the final part of the season. That’s why I tend to choose players who still have goals and motivation

Fabio Ravera

Translated into Dunkest terms: November, February and April are three completely different worlds. And the strategy has to evolve along with the season.

Take few risks with the coach

If there is room for gambles and intuition when it comes to players, Ravera has followed a much more conservative rule with the coach for years.

That is where the team starts.

The price almost becomes secondary: if it takes 12 credits to secure a choice he considers reliable, then those credits are spent. Even if that means saving money at another position later.

If the coach costs 12 and there are no cheaper alternatives I trust, I spend the 12 and live with it. I’d rather save on a player. I almost never take risks with the coach, unless there are special circumstances

Fabio Ravera

The concept is simple: it is better to sacrifice something in roster construction than to begin with the real risk of taking a penalty from the bench.

Captain? As long as Jokic is around…

Here, the strategy he has used over the past few years has been much less complicated.

Nikola Jokic. That’s it.

When the Serbian is on his team, Ravera tends to give him the captain’s armband without worrying too much about the matchup and, on several occasions, without even building a real alternative.

The 2026/27 season, however, could change things. Jokic’s new price – 30 credits – makes it much harder to roster him consistently and could force even a specialist like Ravera to rethink his habits.

When I choose Jokic, I don’t worry much about the captain and I always go with him. This year, though, with the price you gave him, I’ll definitely have to change strategy in many situations. We’ll see as the season goes on

Fabio Ravera

So, apparently, even we managed to put the champion in a difficult spot.

“Playing long” to always have a second chance

Another feature of his playing style concerns game-window management. Ravera generally prefers to “play long”, spreading his roster out in a way that keeps the possibility of making adjustments open.

On paper, this may mean giving up a slightly stronger team, but it offers an advantage that can become crucial over the course of a Gameweek: the chance to fix a bad choice.

I prefer a team that may be a little less strong but is better covered, so I always have a solid score on the floor and the chance to make up for a mistake

Fabio Ravera

That does not mean choosing a player solely because he plays in the right game window. When Ravera identifies a pick he considers particularly safe, the schedule becomes secondary: that player goes into the lineup anyway.

Game-window coverage is therefore a tool, not a rule capable of completely overturning the hierarchy of choices.

News can change everything

You can study matchups, stats and the schedule as much as you want. Then, a few hours before tip-off, the classic NBA news update arrives (join our Telegram channel for live updates) and you have to start all over again.

For Ravera, following updates right up until the start of the Gameweek is a fundamental part of the game. So much so that one piece of news can lead him to heavily modify a team that was already completed.

When his schedule does not allow him to follow updates until the final minute, the strategy changes: it is better to target players whose availability is not in serious doubt.

Even here, though, the Dunkest standings come into play.

If you need to make up ground, taking on some risk can become necessary. Especially if the player in question is a star capable of making a major difference in the score.

If I need to climb the standings, I can take the risk of picking a questionable player. If he’s a star, I can take that chance; for others, it isn’t worth it

Fabio Ravera

And that is probably the common thread running through Ravera’s entire strategy: there is no choice that is always correct.

The same decision can make sense or not depending on the point of the season, your position in the standings, the credits available and even the amount of time you have to follow the news. Learning to adapt, rather than finding a formula to repeat every Gameweek, seems to be one of the real secrets to staying competitive at Dunkest over the long run.

The Champion’s tips

We close with a few recommendations, starting with the players he believes could immediately deliver a strong value gain. Among the guards, the first name is Max Strus (G, 6 cr.): with Ingram out, he could start and take on plenty of offensive responsibility, especially considering a Clippers starting five that is not exactly loaded with scoring options. At 6 credits, he could become very interesting. Also keep an eye on Egor Demin (G, 6 cr.) of the Nets: this one is more of a gamble, but his good preseason is at least worth considering.

Among the forwards, Jonathan Kuminga (F, 7 cr.) stands out. He can score, plays in a winning environment and could enter the season highly motivated. Fabio’s gamble, meanwhile, is Gui Santos (F, 9 cr.), who could find meaningful minutes and opportunities thanks in part to Porzingis’ injury: if he takes advantage of them, the value gain could come quickly.

It is more difficult to find the right name among the centers, but Fabio is backing Zach Edey: if his body finally gives him a little relief, he has everything needed to see his price rise significantly over the course of the season.

And the star to target besides Jokic? Fabio has very few doubts: Giannis Antetokounmpo. High pace, an open floor and plenty of transition opportunities: Spoelstra’s system looks tailor-made to maximize Giannis’ strengths. And for us fantasy managers, that could mean a lot – really, a lot – of PDK.

Fabio’s playbook is now in your hands too. Use it wisely, build value and always keep an eye on the news. As for everything else, get ready: the first Gameweek is already prepared to destroy months of strategy.