Mad Swish: Regular Season Recap 2026
Year Two of Mad Swish was bigger, busier, and considerably more competitive. After the inaugural 2025 season established the personalities and rivalries, 2026 felt like a league where everyone knew the game a little better—and then immediately chose wildly different ways to play it.
The scoring system got an overhaul, too. Free throws made and offensive rebounds were out; double-doubles and triple-doubles were in. Steals and blocks remained worth double, putting more emphasis on all-around production and monster stat lines—and giving everyone a new roster-building puzzle to solve.
TeamBucketsJP finished atop the standings at 10–2, while Kitron Needs 3PT Support led the league with 7,424 points and finished 9–3. Bantam Breeze authored the biggest turnaround, jumping from 4–7 last year to 8–4, while defending champ Seattlesaoirse also went 8–4 to complete the four-team playoff field.
For everyone else, Year Two ended early—but not quietly. Injuries, close losses, and late-season rallies kept the middle of the standings competitive almost to the end. We also welcomed Robin and Tanya, our two new owners, who jumped straight into Mad Swish for their first-ever fantasy basketball seasons. Welcome to the madness—we hope you come back!!!
Year Two is in the books. Now somebody has to win the damn thing.
[ Draft Results and Teams 2026 | Midseason Review 2026 ]
Last season’s runner-up came back with a vengeance, as Justin followed a 5-1 start with another 5-1 second half to claim Mad Swish’s regular-season crown. TeamBucketsJP finished 10-2 with 7,113 PF, second-most in the league, while their 6,150 PA was second-lowest. A little schedule luck? Sure. But you don’t accidentally finish on a five-game winning streak.
The funny part is that Justin drafted Caitlin Clark #1 overall, then proved he didn’t actually need her to carry the team. Clark was excellent when available, averaging 40.9 fantasy points, but injuries limited her to 28 games. Instead, Rhyne Howard (35.3) and Shakira Austin (34.4) became huge engines, with Austin particularly outperforming her fourth-round price. Janelle Salaun also proved to be a terrific fifth-round pick, averaging 23.1 points while playing all 32 games.
TeamBuckets wasn’t dominant everywhere—Justin finished only seventh in assists and middle-of-the-pack in threes—but the roster produced 3,605 real-life points, most in Mad Swish, while finishing third in double-doubles with 32.
There were misses: Ezi Magbegor, the sixth-round pick we thought might be a steal, didn’t survive on the final roster, while NaLyssa Smith was merely solid. But Justin continually patched the edges with 18 moves, and when the schedule got difficult, TeamBuckets delivered. Their only second-half loss was a 836-663 beating from Kitron; afterward, they ripped off five straight wins, including an enormous 869-point Week 11, the highest score of their season.
After falling one win short last year, Justin enters the playoffs as the team everyone else has to catch.
#2 Kitron Needs 3PT Support (9-3)
Last year’s regular-season champ nearly did it again. James followed a 4-2 first half by going 5-1 down the stretch, finishing 9-3 on a four-game winning streak. And by the underlying numbers, Kitron may have been Mad Swish’s strongest team: 7,424 PF led the league, as did their 1,504 rebounds, 322 steals, and 175 blocks. The team remained painfully in need of outside shooting though, as their 247 threes ranked dead last.
Of course, A’ja Wilson made everything easier. The #2 overall pick was absurd, averaging 48.6 fantasy points, but James also nailed his bets on Washington’s young stars. Two-time All-Stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen averaged 31.0 and 29.7 fantasy points respectively, with Iriafen grabbing nine rebounds per game. Fourth-rounder Natasha Howard was even better than expected, turning back the clock for 32.8 fantasy points per game.
James also managed like a maniac, making a league-high 63 moves. That constant churn included bringing in Aneesah Morrow after she was dropped post-trade, and she’s been putting up 15.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in the past two weeks.
Kitron’s only real weakness remained outside shooting, but apparently that hardly mattered when they dominated everywhere else. Their biggest statement came in Week 7, when they handed eventual #1 seed TeamBucketsJP an 836-663 beatdown, the most points Justin allowed all season.
After winning five of their final six, James enters the playoffs with the league’s highest-scoring team, its best defensive-stat profile, and A’ja Wilson. Needs 3PT Support? Sure. Needs much else? Apparently not.
#3 Bantam Breeze (8-4)
After a 4-2 start raised questions about whether Bantam Breeze was benefiting from a soft schedule, Jon answered them by simply going 4-2 again, finishing 8-4 and earning the #3 seed. The underlying numbers say this team was legit: 7,039 PF ranked third in Mad Swish, while 5,991 PA was the league’s lowest. Even stranger, Bantam did it with only 254 GP, third-fewest in the league, yet still led everyone in assists (961), double-doubles (44), and triple-doubles (4).
The draft’s “basketball IQ” theme turned out to be surprisingly prophetic. Paige Bueckers delivered 35.2 fantasy points per game, Nneka Ogwumike averaged 34.8, and Courtney Williams gave the team another reliable 29.6. But seventh-rounder Jessica Shepard was the revelation, exploding for 34.0 fantasy points per game while averaging 11.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists. Carla Leite’s 27.2 points and 6.2 assists made the ninth-round pick another huge value, while Azzi Fudd rewarded the fourth-round gamble with 24.9 per game.
Remarkably, Jon made only six moves, second-fewest in Mad Swish. One late move was particularly intriguing, though: grabbing Cameron Brink off waivers in July, adding another high-upside piece before the playoffs.
Bantam had some bizarre extremes along the way, losing 311-289 to TeamBuckets before later dropping an 816-974 shootout to a surging Dev-E-I. But they also beat #2 Kitron and finished by demolishing defending champion Seattlesaoirse 585-320. From 4-7 last season to 8-4 and the #3 seed, Bantam Breeze has officially graduated from playoff hopeful to legitimate contender.
#4 Seattlesaoirse (8-4)
The defending champs looked ready to steamroll Mad Swish again after a 5-0 start, but Saoirse’s season ultimately became a story of survival. They finished 8-4 and grabbed the final playoff spot, but went just 3-4 after their opening streak and closed with consecutive losses to Kitron and Bantam Breeze. The statistical drop was noticeable too: after leading Mad Swish in points and threes at midseason, Saoirse finished with 6,312 PF, fifth-lowest in the league, although their 396 threes still led everyone.
The biggest culprit was availability. First-rounder Kelsey Plum was spectacular when healthy, averaging 35.6 fantasy points while scoring 22.3 points with 5.6 assists, but she played only 16 fantasy-relevant games. Plum first missed time with an ankle injury, then suffered a lower-leg injury in June that sidelined her for at least four weeks and cost her a 2026 All-Star appearance. Brionna Jones also never became the dependable frontcourt anchor expected on draft night.
Fortunately, Saoirse found production everywhere. Natisha Hiedeman, grabbed off waivers in May, became a tremendous pickup and averaged 28.4 fantasy points. Bridget Carleton delivered 29.1, while rookies Sydney Taylor and Awa Fam helped keep the roster afloat. And Saoirse certainly worked for it: 55 moves ranked third in Mad Swish, a dramatic contrast to some of the league’s quieter managers.
Still, the finish was concerning. After beating Maddie’s 601-462, Saoirse lost 672-1040 to Kitron and then 320-585 to Bantam. The defending champs made it back to the playoffs—but instead of entering as the hunted, they’ll have to rediscover some magic as the #4 seed. Never count out the champ!
Dev-E-I had one of Mad Swish’s strangest trajectories: an 1–5 start followed by a 5-1 finish, ultimately leaving Devin at 6–6 and just outside the four-team playoffs. The opening was brutal—losses of 623–856 to Kitron, 267–565 to Bantam, and 345–440 to On Cloud 9—but the roster gradually became far more competitive.
Breanna Stewart was the foundation, averaging 40.4 fantasy points across 32 games, while Jackie Young delivered 35.3 with 18.1 points and 6.7 assists. The season’s giant what-if was Napheesa Collier. After missing most of the fantasy season, she finally returned and immediately produced 39.0 fantasy points per game, averaging 19.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks through seven games. Had Devin gotten that production all season, the standings could have looked very different.
Despite playing only 237 games—the fewest in Mad Swish—Dev-E-I still accumulated 6,293 PF and an impressive 154 blocks, third-most in the league. The roster’s biggest statistical problem was simply availability and volume; it was difficult to compete with teams squeezing 40–60 more games out of their lineups.
Devin was also unusually conservative on the wire, making only seven moves, third-fewest in the league. Naz Hillmon proved a useful pickup, but there wasn’t much aggressive streaming to compensate for the missing games.
Still, Dev-E-I went down swinging. They finished with consecutive 974- and 809-point weeks, including a 974–816 win over Bantam. The late-season version looked playoff-worthy. Unfortunately, after that 0–3 hole, they simply ran out of weeks.
#6 Maddie’s Money Moves (5–7)
Maddie’s Money Moves had one of the stranger seasons in Mad Swish: good enough to beat elite teams, but never consistent enough to stay in the playoff race. Maddie started 1–2, rallied to 4–3 with three wins in four weeks, and then completely hit the wall, finishing on a five-game losing streak to land at 5–7 and the #6 seed. That included a win over #1 TeamBucketsJP, 475–415, and a convincing 612–481 victory over Bantam Breeze—proof that the ceiling was absolutely there.
The draft produced a genuinely strong core. Aliyah Boston was excellent, averaging 36.0 fantasy points with 16.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. Dominique Malonga was an especially impressive value, producing 33.8 fantasy points with 17.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Kayla McBride supplied the perimeter scoring and threes, averaging 18.4 points and 2.9 triples, while Veronica Burton contributed across the board with 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals.
The problem was depth. After the top four, production dropped sharply: Nia Coffey averaged 19.8 fantasy points, Michaela Onyenwere 17.9, Kaila Charles 15.3 and Maddy Siegrist 12.7. Brittney Sykes was productive when available—33.0 fantasy points per game—but played only 15 games, leaving another major hole.
That showed up in the league totals. Maddie finished with 6,347 PF, sixth in Mad Swish, and 6,542 PA, essentially a middle-of-the-pack statistical profile. The roster did produce 149 blocks, fourth-most, and 1,252 rebounds, third-most.
Most strikingly, Maddie made only four moves all season, second-fewest in the league. With injuries and thin depth, that inactivity mattered. The stars were good enough; the supporting roster simply never got reinforced, and a promising 4–3 start became a five-week collapse.
On Cloud 9 in NYC had two completely different seasons. Hannah opened 3–0, stumbled into a brutal six-game losing streak, then suddenly came roaring back with consecutive 690- and 845-point weeks before falling to Dev-E-I in the finale. The result was a 5–7 record and #7 finish, but this was a much more dangerous team than the final record suggests.
The roster had legitimate stars. Rookie Olivia Miles was phenomenal, averaging 37.3 fantasy points with 20.0 points, 6.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Alyssa Thomas did Alyssa Thomas things: 35.4 fantasy points, 8.2 assists and 7.4 rebounds, plus 1.4 steals. Dearica Hamby added 30.6 fantasy points with 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals, while Kahleah Copper averaged 20.6 real-life points and 30.5 fantasy points.
There was useful depth, too. Emily Engstler contributed 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks, Erica Wheeler provided 5.4 assists, and Hannah eventually added Courtney Vandersloot. But injuries and availability mattered: Leonie Fiebich played only 14 games, and Vandersloot appeared in just 15.
The strangest part was how little Hannah touched the roster. Only five additions all season, including Julie Vanloo, Emily Engstler, Jade Melbourne, Georgia Amoore and Vandersloot. For a team that lost six straight, there was surprisingly little attempt to churn the bottom of the roster.
And that six-game skid ultimately killed them. Cloud 9 scored only 213 points in Week 8, then immediately exploded for 536, 690 and 845 over the next three matchups. The talent was clearly there. Unfortunately, by the time the clouds parted, the playoff race was already basically over.
#8 Swimming with the fishes (4–7–1)
Swimming with the fishes finally found the current after a brutal start. Jackie opened the season 0–5–1, including Mad Swish’s first-ever tie, but then went 4–2 over the final six weeks to finish 4–7–1 and climb out of the basement. That second-half turnaround was real too: Swimming beat On Cloud 9, Maddie’s Money Moves, Violet’s Revenge and TnT Kaboom, while narrowly losing 590–584 to Bantam Breeze.
Nobody worked the schedule harder. Jackie finished with 303 games played, most in Mad Swish, while making 61 moves, second-most in the league. That relentless streaming became the team’s defining feature, with players cycling through the roster constantly in search of usable production.
The stable core was much better than the record suggested. Kelsey Mitchell averaged 34.8 fantasy points while scoring 24.2 points per game, Kamilla Cardoso put up 31.1 fantasy points with 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, and Allisha Gray delivered 30.7 fantasy points with 19.1 points and 1.4 steals. The problem was finding enough dependable production behind them. Several draft-day upside bets either disappeared from the roster or never became consistent fantasy anchors.
Statistically, Swimming finished with 6,072 PF, second-lowest in the league, but their activity helped generate 155 blocks, second-most in Mad Swish. The 6,268 PA was also relatively favorable, making that awful first-half record particularly frustrating.
Still, Jackie deserves credit for refusing to pack it in. After finally earning win #1 in Week 8, Swimming closed with three victories in the final four matchups, including a 788-point explosion against Violet’s Revenge.
The playoffs were long gone, but this team finished looking dramatically healthier than it began. For an 0–5–1 start, 4–7–1 almost feels like an escape act.
Violet’s Revenge had a strange season: competitive early, dangerous when everything clicked, but ultimately unable to survive the back half of the schedule. And considering this was owner Robin’s first-ever fantasy season, there was plenty here to build on. Robin started 1–3 before winning three of the next four to reach 4–4, including victories over TnT Kaboom, Dev-E-I and Kitron Needs 3PT Support. A playoff push suddenly looked possible. Instead, Violet lost its final four and finished 4–8, ninth in Mad Swish.
The roster certainly had star power. Angel Reese was the centerpiece, averaging 36.5 fantasy points behind 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Marina Mabrey added 34.2 fantasy points while drilling 3.1 threes per game, and Gabby Williams contributed 26.2 fantasy points with 1.6 steals. Arike Ogunbowale provided another proven scorer at 25.5 fantasy points per game.
The problem was everything around them. Violet never found consistent enough depth to turn that strong core into weekly wins. Robin worked the wire, making 13 additions, including swings on Lauren Betts, Alanna Smith, Monique Billings and Zia Cooke, but the supporting cast remained unsettled.
Then came a brutal closing stretch. Violet’s final four opponents scored 778, 690, 788 and 563 points, including a 788–617 loss to surging Swimming with the fishes.
The 4–8 record looks rougher than the roster itself. For a first-time fantasy manager, Robin assembled enough high-end talent to make Violet dangerous. The next lesson is depth and weekly roster management. Consider Year One the tutorial—Violet’s Revenge can save the actual revenge for Year Two.
#10 TnT Kaboom (0–11–1)
Every fantasy league has somebody who gets the full rookie experience, and TnT Kaboom got all of it. In Tanya’s first-ever fantasy season, Kaboom finished 0–11–1, with the lone escape coming in a 351–351 tie against Swimming with the fishes in Week 3. After that, Tanya spent the season searching for that elusive first win, but it never arrived.
The biggest problem was simply scoring enough points. Kaboom topped 600 points only twice, putting up 618 in the opener against Bantam Breeze and 653 against On Cloud 9. There were some especially rough weeks—209 against Seattle, 375 against On Cloud 9 and 416 against TeamBucketsJP—and even Kaboom’s best performance ended in an 845–653 loss.
But the most striking number might be one. Tanya made exactly one free-agent addition all season, adding Noémie Brochant on August 9, essentially after the regular season was already decided. While other managers streamed players, chased schedules and reshaped their rosters, Kaboom basically rolled with the team it drafted.
For a first-time fantasy player, though, there’s probably no clearer introduction to how much management matters. Draft night is only the beginning; the waiver wire, injuries, schedules and maximizing games played can completely reshape a season.
So yes, 0–11–1 is a rough debut. But Tanya now has an entire season of experience that she didn’t have in May. The first win will have to wait until Year Two—and after twelve weeks of learning the hard way, TnT Kaboom should come back considerably more explosive.