18. T.J. Ford - Texas. 5'11" 162, PG. Soph.
Terrance Jerod Ford. ...I like TJ Ford. It is hard not to imagine this guy being an NBA All-Star during the prime of his career. Currently, he has the leadership tools, and the extraordinary quickness to defend at an all-star rate. What Ford lacks is a NBA caliber jumper, and upper body strength. That will come. ...His handles are GREAT, and his vision is too. Rarely does a player impress me enough to call his vision "unbelievable". ...T.J. Ford has unbelievable vision. He can push the ball and should flourish in the NBA where the receivers of his precise passes are better finishers than his Texas teammates are. ...He has an uncanny knack for delivering a pass with perfect timing. ...Named the John R. Wooden Player of the Year for 2002-03. Ford also plays with a coolness. He doesn't bitch to the refs. I like his demeanor. Vertical jump measured at Chicago pre-draft camp was 39.5 inches. ...Exceptional quickness allows T.J. to create his own shot. ...Very difficult to get around. Ford's lateral quickness is as good as I've seen. He pressures the opponent into mistakes. ...A vocal leader, Ford won three high-school state championships. ...Confident.
