Guards will headline the 2017 draft class on June 22. Within the top five, we could see three ball-dominant prospects with varying skill sets come off the board.An overwhelming majority have already penciled Washington product Markelle Fultz as the No. 1 pick to the Boston Celtics. Among the top guards, he's most capable of playing off the ball at 2-guard.Lonzo Ball brings a flashier approach to the game, and he's expected to land with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, someone may not be as enthused about the UCLA product bringing Showtime back to the purple and gold:It might be the latest social media slip up for D'Angelo Russell, but he may be able to thrive at shooting guard with Ball handling point guard duties.Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox resembles Sonic the Hedgehog on the court. He's quick and exudes energy on both ends. Will the Philadelphia 76ers take him at No. 3 or does he fall to the Sacramento Kings, who desperately need a point guard, at No. 5'We'll break down the top three guards and project first-round selections:1. Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn): Markelle Fultz, G, Washington2. Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA3. Philadelphia 76ers:Jayson Tatum, F, Duke4. Phoenix Suns:Josh Jackson, F, Kansas5. Sacramento Kings (via Philadelphia): De'Aaron Fox, G, Kentucky6. Orlando Magic:Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona7. Minnesota Timberwolves:Malik Monk, G, Kentucky8. New York Knicks:Frank Ntilikina, G, France9. Dallas Mavericks:Dennis Smith Jr., G, NC State10. Sacramento Kings (via New Orleans):Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State11. Charlotte Hornets:Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville12. Detroit Pistons:Justin Jackson, F, North Carolina13. Denver Nuggets:Dwayne Bacon, F, Florida State14. Miami Heat:Caleb Swanigan, F, Purdue15. Portland Trail Blazers:Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga16. Chicago Bulls:Sindarius Thornwell, G, South Carolina17. Milwaukee Bucks:John Collins, F, Wake Forest18. Indiana Pacers:Ivan Rabb, F, California19. Atlanta Hawks:Jarrett Allen, C, Texas20. Portland Trail Blazers (via Memphis):Jordan Bell, F, Oregon21. Oklahoma City Thunder:Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia22. Brooklyn Nets (via Washington):Jonathan Jeanne, C, France23. Toronto Raptors (L.A. Clippers):Bam Adebayo, F, Kentucky24. Utah Jazz:Isaiah Hartenstein, F, Germany25. Orlando Magic (via Toronto):Josh Hart, G, Villanova26. Portland Trail Blazers (via Cleveland):PJ Dozier G, South Carolina27. Brooklyn Nets (via Boston):Harry Giles, F, Duke28. Los Angeles Lakers (via Houston):Justin Patton, C, Creighton29. San Antonio Spurs:Luke Kennard, G, Duke30. Utah Jazz (via Golden State):Moritz Wagner, F, MichiganA No. 1 Pick Without Pressure'It's not a guarantee, but Fultz seems to be the complete prospect suitable for the top spot in the draft. The Celtics have a solid three-guard rotation already in place with All-Star Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart.Nonetheless, Fultz can play on and off the ball, which allows head coach Brad Stevens to mix and match pieces in the backcourt. Guys like Paul Pierce feel team executive Danny Ainge should trade the pick in order to seize the Eastern Conference in the next year or two:Let's assume Ainge continues to exercise patience and holds the draft pick. Fultz will walk into a unique situation as the No. 1 selection. He's not joining a team that's hoping to win 25 games next year. It sounds odd, but the Washington product may not even start as a rookie.Coming off the bench gives Fultz the opportunity to pick his spots. He could use his scoring prowess if the team needs a boost on the scoreboard or play a distributor role to spell Thomas.Fortunately for the Celtics, Fultz can also defend both guard positions due to his 6'5" stature with a 6'10" wingspan. He's also a willing rebounder, which fits into the Celtics' do-it-all mentality among their versatile talents. In a development phase, he has time to work on defending pick-and-rolls and improving his 64 percent free-throw percentage at the collegiate level. Ball in Magic's Court'Personally, it seems there's a higher probability of the Celtics trading the pick than selecting Ball. However, we can't say anything with certainty until draft day on June 22.Nonetheless, Ball and all the hoopla behind him, specifically his father LaVar and a $495 signature sneaker, fit the Lakers. It's a team that needs some sizzle along with the rise back to relevancy. The stars should align for the UCLA product to stay in state and don the purple and gold colors for the 2017-18 season.On Wednesday, team president Magic Johnson confirmed a scheduled workout for Ball on ESPNLA 710's Afternoons with Marcellus and Kelvin:What does Ball bring to the Lakers'For starters, he's going to set up the shooters and scorers on the roster. Brandon Ingram, Jordan Clarkson and Russell would all benefit with a true ball-handling maestro setting up the offense.Ball can throw accurate outlet passes and lobs to streaking teammates. He can also set up big men for easy baskets when he drives through the lane. At 6'6", the UCLA product has great court vision, and he won't miss a beat in a fast-paced offense.Defensively, don't expect Ball to lock down on opposing guards, but his length allows him to contest shots even when he gives the shooter space or trails a ball-handler going to the hoop.Similar to Fultz, Ball will have to work on his free-throw shooting to stay on the court and close games in the final seconds. He shot 67 percent from the charity stripe during his one year at UCLA.According to the DraftExpress video package above, he only attempted eight mid-range shots last year, which limits his ability to keep defenders guessing in isolation. With unorthodox shooting form, it's questionable as to whether Ball can score on demand.Sacramento Kings Need De'Aaron FoxThe Kings will hope the Sixers and Phoenix Suns go with forwards Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum in no particular order. Darren Collison and Ty Lawson will test the free-agent market, per Spotrac, which leaves the point guard position open for a new face.Unlike Fultz and Ball, Fox brings defensive intensity to the maximum. His ability to pressure ball-handlers will seamlessly translate to the pros. He doesn't have a consistent knock-down jump shot, but he collapsed the defense and chipped away at opponents at the foul line in college.Throughout the year, Fox saw an improvement in his ability to distribute the ball to his teammates in the right spots at opportune times. More importantly, he can thrive in pick-and-roll situations, which is prevalent in the pros. It helps that the Kentucky guard protects the ball and doesn't commit careless turnovers.With Buddy Hield standing next to Fox in the backcourt, the Kings would have a solid one-two punch to start their rebuilding process. Stats provided by ESPN.com and Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted.
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