What's Good: Whatever Happened to Mike Beasley?

"It's been a long time since a brother could eat."

So said Kimbo Slice at the beginning of one of his YouTube fights.  I believe it was "Kimbo vs. Dreads."

Either way, the Chicago Bulls have to be feeling a lot like Kimbo Slice these days.  It hasn't been that long since the Bulls were in the second round of the playoffs, but it seems like ages ago for fans.

Kirk Hinrich went from the face of the franchise to the weakest "point" guard in the league.  Chris Duhon probably wishes he could still play at Duke, and Andres Nocioni's stock has fallen so far that I'm sure more than one person is wondering why the team lost Darius Songaila.

Yes, it's been a long time since the Bulls have "eaten."  But like Kimbo Slice, who's the hottest thing in MMA, they are in position to feast now.

Even with all of the Jerry Reinsdorf drama, even with John Paxson being derided all over the news due to the botched coaching search, even with all the lows since the end of the Jordan Era, the Bulls STILL HAVE THE FIRST PICK OF THE NBA DRAFT.

1.9 percent. That is the chance that the Bulls would get the first pick. 1.9 percent. Somehow, the ping-pong ball came up in their favor.

So now, the draft is upon us. In Chicago, the wait has been feverish and everyone has been debating the same question: Beasley or Rose?

At least, they were debating it. Nowadays, if someone was to suggest that the Bulls take Beasley, they would probably get a sideways look at the very best.

At worst, someone might get that little flashlight that doctors have and check to see if your pupils were dilated.

The overarching opinion is that Derrick Rose is the no-brainer, can't-miss pick. He's a local product, as a star at Beasley Elementary (seriously, no pun intended) with big man Tim Flowers before moving on to Simeon Vocational (with Tim Flowers).

He's a point guard who's unselfish with the ball. He has the raw talent to score when needed. He seems to have kept out of trouble (no mean feat at Simeon), looks to be well-spoken, and is smart enough to do the right things. You know that keeps David Stern happy.

With Chris Paul exploding on to the scene, Steve Nash's two Most Valuable Player awards, and Deron Williams revitalizing the Jazz, point guards are the new hot commodities in the league.

But what about Michael Beasley?

The kid's 6'11", which would satisfy the Bulls' need for a big man. He's a low-post scoring threat, something the Bulls haven't had since Elton Brand, and really since Scottie Pippen. If selected, his ability to shoot outside and in could potentially take the scoring pressure off of Ben Gordon.

So why has everyone completely dismissed him?

There's a few reasons: His behavioral record is not the best. His true height has been questioned. He went to Kansas State. Derrick Rose is from Chicago and would be a better fit. He always has that same expression on his face.  That one tattoo he has is not fit for kids to see. I could go on and on...

For the most part, I believe that the local media decided that Derrick Rose was the better option and that slowly ended the debate. More people who were undecided heard the sportswriters' opinions and agreed with them on Rose.

This is not to say that people didn't think for themselves, but I'm very surprised that the public opinion has so singularly picked Derrick Rose as the next big thing.

People, be cautious. Sebastian Telfair was supposed to dominate, remember? Sam Bowie was going to take Portland to the next level. Michael Olowokandi. And how could Chicagoens forget about Eddy Curry?

Besides, with everything that the Bulls have had go wrong for them since 1998, it's very probable that they would turn the tables on everyone and pick someone else—someone with "potential."

Think D.J. Augustin or Jerryd Bayless—someone that would leave everyone scratching their heads and wondering why Jerry Reinsdorf is pulling Paxson's strings.

I'm not saying that Rose isn't the future of the franchise. I just think everyone should at least give Beasley a chance.

It would be a shame if the Bulls had to wait even longer to eat.

That's what's good. Until next time, keep waving the Pennant.