This is my second iteration of the 2008 NBA Draft. The mocks I write are under the premise that “teams should take this guy” rather than “I think they will take this guy.” In most scenarios, those two premises entail completely different scenarios.

I also abide under the pre-conceived notion that there will be no trades. I know that having a year when no trades are made is impossible. I am not in this to predict trades, so I just concern myself with the picks themselves.

A lot of these picks will be made irrelevant if trades are made during the draft or immediately after, but you guys know how it is. I have dissected all 60 picks I think should be made this Thursday; here are 1-30. 31-60 will be coming shortly.

Round 1

No. 1 Overall Selection (Chicago Bulls): Derrick Rose, Point Guard, Memphis

It’s amazing how the lottery works. Almost all of the time, the team with the worst record doesn’t get the first selection. I don’t get it, but the lottery is another topic for another day. Onto the selection itself.

Rose has got to be the guy here. Beasley will be an outstanding player, no doubt, but point guards like Derrick Rose don’t come along everyday. He will get by his man at will, defend well enough, push the basketball effectively, be a quiet, confident leader on the floor, and keep every player on their toes.

The biggest knock on the Bulls last year was their lack of effort. Players missing practices, and overall just not caring about whether they won or lost. Rose will bring back a work ethic to the Bulls, trying to prove to his hometown Chicago he is worth the number one pick.

Michael Beasley, on the other hand, has a laid back personality that may not suit the Bulls as well moving forward from where they are as a team. Either way, the Bulls can’t make a wrong selection between Rose and Beasley, but Rose is the guy to take here.

No. 2 Overall Selection (Miami Heat): Michael Beasley, Power Forward, Kansas State

Not really much of a question here. The unanimous top two players in this draft are Rose and Beasley. Rose is gone, so you take Beasley.

Beasley has a tremendous skill-set. He will be big enough to bully small forwards trying to guard him away from the paint, and will be too quick for most power forwards to guard. He is a true matchup nightmare. He can finish with both hands in the lane, and is both agile and strong. His defense can improve, but his dominance scoring and rebounding are the appeal, no questions asked.

Questions about his character are valid ones, but I don’t think it will make him any less great on the court.

No. 3 Overall Selection (Minnesota Timberwolves): Brook Lopez, Center, Stanford

Lopez is a big body with above average skills. Kevin McHale could teach Lopez how to vastly improve his skills and give stud big man Al Jefferson some assistance inside.

Jefferson could move to his natural power forward position. This would also take a tremendous deal of pressure off of him defensively. The Timberwolves could also address other needs later in the draft or in a trade.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?