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Chad Ford says Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel remains the closest thing to a No. 1 draft pick so far this season.

Blog | Conversation | February 07, 2013

With the NBA draft lottery finalized following a few tiebreakers, Chad Ford examines each team's odds to land the No. 1 pick (and Anthony Davis), plus players they could target if the lotto doesn't break in their favor.

Blog | Conversation | April 27, 2012

Anthony Davis is clearly the No. 1 choice for NBA teams, but at No. 2, things get decidedly more intriguing. Chad Ford examines who each team would target in the 2-hole.

Blog | Conversation | February 03, 2012

The Mag talks to the pioneering players since the institution of the so-called 'one and done' rule who spent just a year in college before going pro to get their thoughts on their decision and transition to the pros.

David Thorpe breaks down the draft needs of the worst five teams in the NBA this season. In a draft that lacks stars, Thorpe says teams should focus on need over upside. And that means a potential surprise with the No. 1 pick.

Blog | Conversation | April 21, 2011

As a result of his continued dominant play, and the uncertain situations surrounding Perry Jones and Kyrie Irving, Jared Sullinger is starting to merit consideration as the No. 1 overall pick, writes Chad Ford. Also, Harrison Barnes gets back on track.

Blog | Conversation | February 08, 2011

Mark it down: Just like every other year, this year's draft class will produce several players that will make teams regret passing on them. Ryen Russillo provides his top 10 sleepers for this year's draft.

Blog | Conversation | June 23, 2010

Sometimes one great skill is enough to earn you a spot on an NBA roster. Fran Fraschilla breaks down this year's crop of shooters, shot-blockers and energy guys as teams look to fill specific needs in both rounds of Thursday's NBA draft.

Blog | Conversation | June 22, 2010

There are a number of NBA players who don't have the prototypical size to match their natural positional skill set, but there are many more talented players who never got a chance because of that fatal "tweener" moniker. David Thorpe examines why.

Blog | Conversation | June 20, 2010

When smart teams draft, they don't use a 1-to-30 ranking; they utilize a tier system that accounts for team need and player talent. Chad Ford, after talking to numerous teams, divides this year's crop into tiers and explains how the system works.

Blog | Conversation | June 18, 2010

The top draft picks aren't necessarily the ones who will have the greatest impact next season. Rookie Watch author David Thorpe takes us through the 10 most NBA-ready players in this year's draft.

Blog | Conversation | June 09, 2010

Organizational strategy plays a large role in the draft, and more and more teams are using advanced metrics to guide their selections. Chad Ford gets access to three teams' metric-based top-10 lists and unveils those rankings, in addition to other notes.

Blog | Conversation | June 08, 2010

Chad Ford, David Thorpe, Fran Fraschilla and Ryen Russillo hash out some intriguing draft questions, including which prospect may provide the biggest return on investment and which players could join the rotations of the Celtics or Lakers next season.

Blog | Conversation | June 02, 2010

Last season Tyler Hansbrough faced doubts about everything from his size to his athleticism, but after quelling them at the Chicago combine, he shot up the draft board. This season, there's another player making a big move after wowing GMs in Chicago.

Blog | Conversation | May 28, 2010

The biggest story of Day 1 at the Chicago combine was the number of no-shows. However, some prospects made strong impressions, a couple of highly regarded players had rough interviews with teams and an International Man of Mystery emerged.

Blog | Conversation | May 21, 2010

With the NBA draft combine underway in Chicago, Fran Fraschilla identifies the five biggest snubs from the festivities and explains why they could end up on NBA rosters next fall.

Blog | Conversation | May 20, 2010