Chad Ford NBA Mock Draft 2017: Notable Picks from ESPN Guru's 1st Mock

The 2016 NBA draft was seen as a two-player class. It was Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram and then a whole lot of unknowns and dice rolls.

The 2017 class is decidedly the opposite. On paper, it looks every bit as hype-worthy as last season's loaded bunch and might rank as the best since 2003. There is no clear-cut No. 1 prospect but instead a handful of guys who could theoretically ascend their way to that spot. Looking deeper, there might be 10-12 guys who would have been top-three picks in this year's class.

Hyperbole aside, these are special players. Expect the hype for this class to only grow as we get closer to the college basketball season and crest at the point you literally know each of their pets' names.

So, in that sense, we should probably get started about now. ESPN's Chad Ford got things underway Tuesday, releasing the first iteration of his mock draft. We know the fluidity of these things means to take them with a grain of salt; Cheick Diallo and Malik Newman were top-10 picks at this time a year ago. But it's nonetheless a good exercise in figuring out where players will stand heading into the season.

Chad Ford Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Philadelphia 76ers	Markelle Fultz, G, Washington
2	Boston Celtics (via Nets)	Harry Giles, F, Duke
3	Los Angeles Lakers	Josh Jackson, F, Kansas
4	Phoenix Suns	Dennis Smith, G, N.C. State
5	Sacramento Kings	Frank Ntilikina, G, France
6	Denver Nuggets	Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State
7	Orlando Magic	Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA
8	New Orleans Pelicans	Jayson Tatum, F, Duke
9	Miami Heat	Ivan Rabb, F, Cal
10	Milwaukee Bucks	De'Aaron Fox, G, Kentucky
11	Minnesota Timberwolves	Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia
12	Chicago Bulls	Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
13	Dallas Mavericks	Marques Bolden, C, Duke
14	New York Knicks	Malik Monk, G, Kentucky
15	Washington Wizards	Edrice Adebayo, F, Kentucky
16	Houston Rockets	Edmond Sumner, G, Xavier
17	Charlotte Hornets	OG Anunoby, F, Indiana
18	Denver Nuggets (via Grizzlies)	Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona
19	Atlanta Hawks	Omer Yurtseven, C, N.C. State
20	Oklahoma City Thunder	Carlton Bragg, F, Kansas
21	Indiana Pacers	Tyler Lydon, F, Syracuse
22	Utah Jazz	Rodions Kurucs, F, Latvia
23	Detroit Pistons	Grayson Allen, G, Duke
24	Portland Trail Blazers	Isaiah Hartenstein, F, Germany
25	Toronto Raptors	Jonathan Jeanne, F/C, France
26	Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics)	Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State
27	Toronto Raptors (via Clippers)	Kostja Mushidi, G, Belgium
28	Cleveland Cavaliers	Thomas Bryant, C, Indiana
29	San Antonio Spurs	Jaron Blossomgame, G/F, Clemson
30	Utah Jazz (via Warriors)	Jalen Brunson, G, Villanova

Notable Storylines

The Battle for No. 1 

Ford accounts for team need in this mock, which makes Washington guard Markelle Fultz a natural fit. The Philadelphia 76ers will in all likelihood experiment with Simmons handling the ball as much as possible next season, but they still need a long-term fit at point guard. Free-agent acquisitions Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez are mere stopgaps.

Fultz is more of a combo guard than a true 1 right now, but that works given Simmons' ball-handling skills. He's a good (not great) athlete who stretches the floor well and uses his basketball IQ to get to the rim rather than just bulling his head down. From a modern guard standpoint, there's a lot to like about Fultz—even if he gambles way too much defensively. 

But take away the Sixers aspect, and we're more than likely looking at a battle between Duke forward Harry Giles and Kansas forward Josh Jackson. Giles looked like a no-brainer top selection before suffering an ACL tear last season. It's his second major knee injury, and teams are understandably wary of his long-term heath. 

When he's on the floor, Giles is a bouncy two-way star in the making who is long enough to play center in small-ball lineups, provided he adds some strength. He just has to get on the court and prove it next season for head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Jackson is probably going to suffer from Bill Self Disease, which seemingly shackles every top prospect at 70 percent of his potential. But, a little like Andrew Wiggins, Jackson is only a jumper away from being a truly special player. He checks nearly every other box. He's an elite, athletic defender, good passer and otherworldly leaper who could win dunk contests someday.

If I'm ranking them now, it's still 1) Giles, 2) Jackson, 3) Fultz. But there's a real chance at fluidity here.  

Uhh...Where Are the Upperclassmen?

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Answer: nowhere to be found. Half of the projected first round consists of freshmen. Another seven are sophomores. Add in another six international players, all under the age of 20, and you're left with just two spots for college basketball's elder statesmen.

Duke's Grayson Allen comes in at No. 23 to the Detroit Pistons, and Clemson senior Jaron Blossomgame rolls in at No. 29 to the San Antonio Spurs. Allen and Blossomgame are both excellent three-point shooters who provide athleticism and intelligence on the perimeter. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Allen contend for national player of the year honors, while Blossomgame will likely stay under the radar despite arguably being a better player.

What's more surprising is how weak this group of upperclassmen is as a whole. Allen, Blossomgame, Villanova's Josh Hart and Notre Dame's V.J. Beachem are the only guys I can see with a shot at the first round. All of them are generally similar in that they're wing players who stretch the floor but have a limited overall ceiling. 

This college basketball season seems destined to be ruled by the neophytes, running contrary to last season's veteran-filled March. Three seniors went in June's lottery; it wouldn't be a surprise to see this class get shut out entirely.

Did the Sophs Make the Right Call?

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The advantages of being a polarizing prospect in a weak draft are obvious. The weaker the class, the likelier a team is to take a deep breath and roll the dice on potential despite obvious red flags.

Just ask Thon Maker. He's barely a first-round prospect in this class and was at risk of being exposed at the college level. One appeal to move up his draft date later, and Maker's a lottery pick with millions of dollars guaranteed to his name. Marquese Chriss, Henry Ellenson, Malik Beasley, Malachi Richardson, Skal Labissiere and Dejounte Murray all became first-round picks despite obvious flaws in their games.

All of which makes the decisions of Ivan Rabb, OG Anunoby and others to return to school a little curious. The case of Rabb will be the most interesting because he was a borderline lottery lock despite a down freshman season at Cal.

Ford has him at No. 9 right now, around where he would have gone in June. A big sophomore season could put him back in the top-five conversation. But another enigmatic, underwhelming campaign will send Rabb quickly descending on boards and might force him to return again in 2017—a nightmare scenario that would cost him millions.

Anunoby is more likely to make himself money this season than lose it. The Indiana product would have been in the 20-25 range had he come out early. His decision to return should allow him to flash a better offensive game to go along with his potential as a world-beater on the other end.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.