Markelle Fultz attempts a shot against the Gonzaga Bulldogs defence in their matchup last Dec. 7, 2016. (Photo : Getty Images/William Mancebo)
The NBA Draft in 2017 promises to be one of the best in recent memory primarily because of the guards.
Two of the projected top draft picks are guards: Lonzo Ball of UCLA and Markelle Fultz of Washington. According to draft guru Chad Ford of ESPN Insider, both guards will thrive in today's NBA. In his ranking of draft prospects, he has placed only the two of them in Tier 1, which means they are future superstars.
Ford noted that since he started ranking in tiers in 2009, only nine players have been placed in Tier 1: Blake Griffin, John Wall, Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ben Simmons.
It should be noted that 2014 was the only year with multiple Tier 1 players with three (Wiggins, Embiid, Parker) while 2011 and 2013 did not have any players impressing as superstars before the draft. While there were superstars that Ford has missed, most of the players he has anointed are already All-Stars or already on the path (the jury is out on Simmons, of course).
Now, Ford believes that Fultz and Ball will join this elite club. That's a bold assertion as most scouts believe that there are no Tier 1 players in this class, but they have the most Tier 2 (possible All stars).
"Fultz's all-around game, athleticism and versatility make him a virtually can't-miss prospect. Ball's unique combination of size and court vision have some scouts comparing him to Jason Kidd with a jump shot," Ford justified his stance.
It's not just the ESPN Insider who raves about Fultz and Ball. Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer described Markelle Fultz as "the point guard of your dreams."
Fultz has the physical tools similar to recent lottery point guards like D'Angelo Russell, Dante Exum, Emmanuel Mudiay and Elfrid Payton. However, Fultz is the best shooter among them (D'Angelo Russell probably has an argument). Tjarks reasoned that Fultz was not an athletic point guard in high school as he was only 5'9" as a sophomore and had to rely on outside shooting.
Ball, on the other hand, will always have the Jason Kidd comparison but he also has an outside shot. It doesn't look good but it's very accurate. It was something that his father LaVar Ball instilled in all his sons.
