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PyData talk 2025-12-09 at 14:45

Optimizing fantasy basketball decisions with Python: linear & integer programming for roster management

Description

Fantasy basketball involves daily decisions: which players to start, who to pick up from free agency, and how to balance competing objectives across multiple statistical categories. This talk demonstrates how linear programming and integer programming can help solving those problems.

Using Python library PuLP we'll explore when to use linear programming versus integer programming, how to formulate constraints for roster decisions, and how to handle different league formats. Through practical examples, we'll build optimizers for start/sit decisions and free agency streaming.