Having been awarded numerous top basketball accolades in high school and college, Ford entered the 2003 NBA draft and was selected eighth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ford's recurring back injuries resulted in him missing many games in his three seasons with the Bucks, but in 2005, it was announced that he was fit to play basketball again.

Following an injury sustained in the 2007–08 NBA season, however, Ford had difficulties reclaiming the starting spot and was traded to the Indiana Pacers.

[2] From a young age, Ford dreamed of being a basketball player, having also witnessed his home team Houston Rockets win back-to-back championships in the 1990s.

[3][6] Ford's play ensured that Texas made it to the Sweet Sixteen, while he recorded 15 double-digit assist games, and was named a consensus Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

[5] Ford was picked eighth in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in a very strong draft class, which featured future NBA All-Stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony.

The injury occurred on February 24, 2004, during a home game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves where he fell on his tail bone after being fouled by center Mark Madsen.

[5] In June 2005, a statement was released by Dr. Robert Watkins of the Los Angeles Spine Surgery Institute that said Ford had made a complete recovery.

[11] The point guard had trained intensively for months in his hometown of Houston under the supervision of former NBA player John Lucas; together they worked on Ford's shooting, stamina, and strength.

New coach Terry Stotts was beginning to rely more on the jump shooting of Michael Redd, the post play of Andrew Bogut and Jamaal Magloire, and the playmaking of developing point guard Mo Williams, so that Ford became a less important component of the team.

[20] His form continued when he equaled his career-high of 18 assists in a game against the New York Knicks on March 14, 2007 — one short of the Raptors franchise record set by Damon Stoudamire.

[21] Ford ended the 2006–07 regular season with 14.0 ppg and 7.9 apg, both career highs,[9] and was also credited with bringing the Raptors to their first playoff berth in five years, as well as helping them clinch their first ever Division title.

On December 11, 2007, following a flagrant foul committed by Al Horford, Ford suffered what appeared to be a serious injury in a game against the Atlanta Hawks.

[25] In his absence, Calderón earned rave reviews for his performances and surpassed Ford as the starting point guard for the Raptors.

The Raptors sent Indiana Rasho Nesterovič, Maceo Baston and the 17th pick in the draft (Roy Hibbert), and because Ford's contract made him a "base-year compensation" player, the trade was only finalized on July 9, 2008.

[33][34] On March 15, 2012, the Spurs traded Ford, Richard Jefferson and a 2012 first-round pick to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Stephen Jackson.