NBA Draft 2017: Chad Ford Tier Rankings

Chad Ford recently put this year’s NBA Draft prospects into tiers on ESPN Insider, labeling the potential superstars, all-stars, starters, rotation players, and so-on.

Unsurprisingly, Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball were labeled the “potential superstars” of this draft.

De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk fell just outside of that label, as he was on Ford’s second-tier list, labeled “All-Star potential.”

What’s keeping Fox out of the first tier is the “lack of a consistent jumper,” Ford said.

As for Monk, he’s “too one-dimensional right now” for Ford to put him in the top tier.

Bam Adebayo was listed in tier five, as a “rotation player.”

This area of the draft is typically reserved for rotation players who are unlikely to start for good teams but could become solid role players off the bench.

Adebayo could certainly prove Ford wrong with his frame and strength, but this is still a spot for guys with significant roles in the NBA. Can’t complain about that.

Here’s how Ford’s prospect tiers played out:

Tier 1 (Potential superstars)

Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA

Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington

Tier 2 (All-Star potential)

De'Aaron Fox, PG, Fr., Kentucky

Jonathan Isaac, F, Fr., Florida State

Josh Jackson, G/F, Fr., Kansas

Lauri Markkanen, PF, Fr., Arizona

Malik Monk, G, Fr., Kentucky

Frank Ntilikina, PG, France

Dennis Smith, PG, Fr., North Carolina State

Jayson Tatum, F, Fr., Duke

Tier 3 (NBA starters)

OG Anunoby, F, So., Indiana

Zach Collins, F/C, Fr., Gonzaga

Harry Giles, PF, Fr., Duke

Luke Kennard, G, So., Duke

Donovan Mitchell, G, So., Louisville

Tier 4 (Starters, high-level rotation players)

Jarrett Allen, C, Fr., Texas

Ike Anigbogu, C, Fr., UCLA

John Collins, PF, So., Wake Forest

Justin Patton, C, Fr., Creighton

Tier 5 (Rotation players)

Edrice Adebayo, PF, Fr., Kentucky

Tony Bradley, C, Fr., North Carolina

Terrance Ferguson, SG, Australia

Frank Jackson, G, Fr., Duke

Justin Jackson, SF, Jr., North Carolina

TJ Leaf, PF, Fr., UCLA

Anzejs Pasecniks, C, Latvia

Ivan Rabb, PF, So., Cal

Caleb Swanigan, PF, So., Purdue

D.J. Wilson, PF, Jr., Michigan

Tier 6 (potential first-rounders)

Jordan Bell, PF, Jr., Oregon

Jonah Bolden, SF, Australia

Thomas Bryant, F/C, So. Indiana

Jawun Evans, PG, So., Oklahoma State

Josh Hart, SG, Sr., Villanova

Isaiah Hartenstein, PF, Germany

Tyler Lydon, SF, So., Syracuse

Semi Ojeleye, F, Jr., SMU

Alec Peters, F, Sr., Valparaiso

Monte Morris, PG, Sr., Iowa State

Devin Robinson, SF, Jr., Florida

Derrick White, PG, Jr., Colorado