All-time All-ACC NBA Mock Draft
By Ynal Al-Ouri
The mighty Phil Ford had a very successful collegiate career with the Tar Heels. He came out of the gate and made an immediate impact for the team his freshman season. Following that up with three more solid campaigns, Ford improved his scoring outputs each season while keeping his assist numbers relatively consistent. During his senior season, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Those impressive averages earned him numerous awards, including the Wooden award, ACC Player of the Year, and of of course consensus first-team All-American honors. Ford was undersized compared to most guards, only standing at 6-foot-2, but he more than made up for his size with his crafty play and solid mid-range jump shot.
He also excelled at setting up his teammates in transition, which in turn created easy baskets at many points throughout the game. Ford was also a marvel to watch when he drove the ball to the hole, showing an uncanny ability to finish even while receiving a great amount of contact. He showed toughness and a tremendous amount of poise each and every time he stepped on the court, and never let his size come in the way. The biggest knock on Ford is the lack of outside shooting included in his arsenal. He certainly managed to get by without much of a 3-point shoot in college, but in today’s NBA the outside shot is utilized more than ever. If he is able to adjust and work on extending his range, it could help him score easier if he struggles to get past stronger and taller defenders of this day and age.