Chad Ford NBA Mock Draft 2017: Notable Picks from ESPN Guru's 5th Mock

ESPN NBA analyst Chad Ford released his fifth mock draft for the 2017 NBA draft following the lottery results Tuesday night. The Boston Celtics landed the top pick courtesy of a previous trade with the Brooklyn Nets and are projected to select Washington point guard Markelle Fultz.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers also landed coveted top-three selections thanks to the pingpong balls. Ford forecasts they will take UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball and Kentucky shooting guard Malik Monk, respectively, when the draft gets underway at the Barclays Center in New York City.

Here's a look at the rest of his current first-round predictions for the June 22 event:

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Boston Celtics (from BRK)	Markelle Fultz, G, Washington
2	Los Angeles Lakers	Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA
3	Philadelphia 76ers (from SAC)	Malik Monk, G, Kentucky
4	Phoenix Suns	Josh Jackson, F, Kansas
5	Sacramento Kings (from PHI)	De'Aaron Fox, G, Kentucky
6	Orlando Magic	Jayson Tatum, F, Duke
7	Minnesota Timberwolves	Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State
8	New York Knicks	Dennis Smith, G, NC State
9	Dallas Mavericks	Frank Ntilikina, G, France
10	Sacramento Kings (from NO)	Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
11	Charlotte Hornets	Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona
12	Detroit Pistons	Luke Kennard, G, Duke
13	Denver Nuggets	OG Anunoby, F, Indiana
14	Miami Heat	Harry Giles, F, Duke
15	Portland Trail Blazers	John Collins, F, Wake Forest
16	Chicago Bulls	Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville
17	Milwaukee Bucks	Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia
18	Indiana Pacers	TJ Leaf, F, UCLA
19	Atlanta Hawks	Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
20	Portland Trail Blazers (from MEM)	Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA
21	Oklahoma City Thunder	Justin Jackson, F, North Carolina
22	Brooklyn Nets (from WSH)	Justin Patton, C, Creighton
23	Toronto Raptors (from LAC)	Edrice Adebayo, F, Kentucky
24	Utah Jazz	Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina
25	Orlando Magic (from TOR)	Frank Jackson, G, Duke
26	Portland Trail Blazers (from CLE)	Isaiah Hartenstein, F, Germany
27	Brooklyn Nets (from BOS)	Hamidou Diallo, G, Kentucky
28	Los Angeles Lakers (from HOU)	Ivan Rabb, F, California
29	San Antonio Spurs	Jonathan Jeanne, C, France
30	Utah Jazz (from GSW)	Moritz Wagner, F, Michigan

Notable Selections

1. Boston Celtics: Markelle Fultz, G, Washington

Fultz was the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable 9-22 campaign for the Huskies. The dynamic playmaker averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks to showcase a ridiculously well-rounded skill set. He also shot 47.6 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range.

He hasn't generated nearly as many headlines as Ball—whose father, LaVar Ball, is the main reason for most of them—but he's held steady as the most likely No. 1 pick. He told Bleacher Report's Jason King coming off the board first is far from his biggest goal, though.

"When I was younger, trying to make the make the freshman and JV team, my dream was always to make it to the NBA," Fultz said. "At first, I was thinking about just getting to the NBA, just watching the NBA, being one of the All-Stars in the NBA. But I actually want to be the best to ever play this game. And I think I have a pretty good chance to do that."

The Celtics hold a variety of options. They can take Fultz or Ball, depending on whom they believe has more upside, go for a player who could make a larger immediate impact within their current roster like Kansas small forward Josh Jackson or even trade the selection for an established player.

It's not often a team currently competing in the Eastern Conference Finals is also looking toward that type of promising offseason. Mark in Fultz with pencil right now and expect the rumors to start flying once their playoff run comes to an end.

2. Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA

Sometimes the stories write themselves. The Lakers could have fallen outside the top three in the lottery Tuesday night, which would have forced the franchise to relinquish it to the Sixers. Instead, they were lucky enough to get the second pick, which is prime position for Ball.

It's no secret LaVar, the Ball family patriarch, has wanted his son to play in Los Angeles, his hometown. It sounds like they are going to take as many steps as possible to make that a reality, with a source telling ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne it's possible he doesn't even work out for other organizations.

"We will make that decision closer to June," the source said, before adding it's been "clear from the start our desired destination is Los Angeles."

While there's no doubt Ball is an intriguing talent, it's fair to wonder how he'll respond to all the added expectations from his father's over-the-top comments in recent months, which includes proclaiming his son was already better than two-time MVP Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.

Meanwhile, new Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson told TMZ Sports the team was "very happy" with its lottery luck but wouldn't commit to taking Ball if he's on the board. It certainly feels that's the end game, however.

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia

The Bucks might not be ready to contend for an NBA title next season, but they could emerge as the most exciting team to watch. Adding Ferguson to a roster already featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, Thon Maker and Jabari Parker, once healthy, would be quite a sight.

Ferguson, an Oklahoma native, opted to play for the Adelaide 36ers in Australia rather than go the traditional one-and-done college route. The 19-year-old guard has displayed a terrific combination of athleticism and shooting ability that should make for a smooth NBA transition.

Pete Toal‏ of the Unquestionably Raw NBA Podcast provided a scouting report:

Milwaukee seems like an ideal fit on paper. The team ranked tied for 21st in threes made per game during the 2016-17 campaign, and the rookie wouldn't be asked to take on a massive role right out of the gate given the team's budding roster.

Ferguson must become more sound from a technical standpoint and will benefit from adding more power to his frame. But he's still the type of prospect who could see his stock rise leading up to the draft based on his long-term upside. It would be tough for the Bucks to pass if he's still available.