2008 NBA Draft Re-Do: Who Is More Proven Today Than Two Years Ago?
The 2008 Draft was filled with a lot of promise. There was an exceptional amount of murmur over who was going to be picked first overall: Derrick Rose, or Michael Beasley. People were also very excited to see the player that they had followed since high school, OJ Mayo, finally jump into the NBA.
In the end, these three players were the first three taken. However, if these teams got a second shot at the 2008 NBA draft, here's how they would have taken the players knowing what they know now.
1. Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose
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Originally Drafted: 1st Overall
Yep, Chicago got it right with the 1st overall pick in 2008. Derrick Rose arose as an All-Star last year, and is now leading what looks like a perennial playoff team with superstars Joakim Noah, and Carlos Boozer. Derrick Rose deserved to go first overall, and that's right where he should've been.
2. Miami Heat: Russell Westbrook
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Originally Drafted: 4th Overall
Still think Miami would've picked Beasley? Well picture this. Miami traded away Michael in the offseason while they still had the cap room to keep him. Could you imagine what a ridiculous team the Miami Heat would be if their starting point guard was Russell Westbrook instead of whomever they're using?
Westbrook has emerged this year as an MVP candidate, and makes it hard to distinguish the best player on the Thunder sometimes (despite the presence of Kevin Durant). After Derrick Rose, the path is clear for Russell Westbrook.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love
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Originally Drafted: 5th Overall
You don't think Minnesota likes having a player leading the league in rebounds, and putting up numbers that haven't been put up since Moses Malone?
Yeah, Love was a great choice for Minnesota in the end.
While the Wolves can't seem to find wins behind the star power of Kevin Love, you certainly can't credit the losses to him. He's playing himself right into the All-Star game at this rate, and now if they can add the right pieces around Love, he'll become one year after year.
Rose, Westbrook, and Love are the only 3 players out of the 2008 draft that are being called All-Star candidates.
4. Seattle Sonics: Brook Lopez
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Originally Drafted: 10th Overall
After Russell, Kevin, and Derrick, Brook Lopez is the next closest thing the 2008 draft has to an All-Star. Plus, the Thunder are still looking for that piece to become their starting center.
Brook emerged right away after many teams passed on him as a player that teams would want to have for a long time to come. Currently playing second fiddle on a crappy team certainly doesn't help his resume, but Brook is an emerging center in the league, and would have been picked much higher than 10th if teams knew how good he was really going to be.
5. Memphis Grizzlies: Michael Beasley
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Originally Drafted: 2nd Overall
Michael would have been much lower on this list had it not been for this season. Playing for Minnesota has done wonders for him, and if he continues to grow at this rate, he and Kevin Love will be one of the best forward tandems in the NBA for a long time to come.
Miami didn't give him much of an opportunity when he first arrived, and once the door was open for him to go, they kicked him out getting no more than a few second round picks. I'm sure Memphis would be happy to take on his talent and potential at this stage in his career.
6. New York Knicks: OJ Mayo
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Originally Drafted: 3rd Overall
While Mayo is currently looking for a way to get out of Memphis, it's very clear that he's still a very good player, and would be very successful on a different team. One team that may want him would be the New York Knicks.
Next to Amar'e Stoudemire, OJ would look fantastic. The team is currently built off of their starting center, small forward, and point guard, so adding Mayo at the 2-guard would make them so much better. Hey, he's got to be a little upgrade over Danilo Gallinari, right?
And can you imagine the New York fans in 2008 screaming at the thought of having OJ on their team? It would've been ridiculous.
7. Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon
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Originally Drafted: 7th Overall
Seven was a good spot for Eric to be drafted.
The Clippers love Eric Gordon, and so do the fans, and as of lately, he hasn't disappointed. Eric has been the #2 guys behind the King of the Rookies: Blake Griffin. Eric provides a little more than just shooting after his experience with team USA. He's become a great all around 2-guard, and while he's not perfectly suited to play that position, nor multiple positions, he's a great utility for a young team.
8. Milwaukee Bucks: Danilo Galinari
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Originally Drafted: 6th Overall
Danilo isn't quite as good as he could've been, considering the talent taken lower than him. But, he has become a player that the Knicks can depend on a little more, both offensively and defensively. There aren't a whole lot of fans for Danilo in NYC, but he's the kind of hard working player that would fit in well on a team like Milwaukee. Plus, Milwaukee needs more wing players to surround Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings.
Plus, their original pick was Joe Alexander. How's he doing?
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Roy Hibbert
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Originally Drafted: 17th Overall
The only reason that the Clippers and Bucks would've passed on Hibbert is because of their already established centers (Chris Kaman, and Andrew Bogut). But Charlotte would love to have one of the most improved players of the year, Roy Hibbert.
Originally taken way lower at 17, Roy has become one of the best players on a young Indiana team looking for one of its first playoff births since the Jermaine O'Neal/Stephen Jackson/Ron Artest era that ended so abruptly. Roy has been a very good player at the center position, and could be very good on a Charlotte team desperate for a center after the departure of Tyson Chandler.
10. New Jersey Nets: JJ Hickson
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Originally Drafted: 19th Overall
This would be a pick for potential.
After the LeBron James fiasco, the new face of the franchise in Cleveland is JJ Hickson. Mo Williams is still their star player, but the Cavs are now banking off of the success of JJ in order to become a better team. He hasn't disappointed as far as his own skill goes, but his team is still on the bottom of the standings.
People would never pass up the potential of JJ Hickson if the draft were to be done again.
Picks 11-20
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11. Indiana Pacers - DJ Augustin (originally 9th)
12. Sacramento Kings - Anthony Randolph (originally 14th)
13. Portland Trailblazers - Robin Lopez (originally 15th)
14. Golden State Warriors - Jerryd Bayless (originally 11th)
15. Phoenix Suns - JaVale McGee (originally 18th)
16. Philadelphia 76ers - Mario Chalmers (originally 34th)
17. Toronto Raptors - Courtney Lee (originally 22nd)
18. Washington Wizards - Nicolas Batum (originally 25th)
19. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jason Thompson (originally 12th)
20. Charlotte Bobcats - Chris Douglas-Roberts (originally 40th)
After all of the high potential players were taken, these are some of the players that have developed as starters, not stars. Some of these are need based (Philadelphia at PG, Cleveland at PF), but most of them are just taking the highest potential player there was available. Augustin, Bayless, and Thompson were all picked a bit too high for what they ended up producing at, and some lower picks like Mario Chalmers and Chris Douglas-Roberts turned out to be steals at later points in the draft.
Picks 21-30
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21. New Jersey Nets - Luc Mbah a Moute (originally 37th)
22. Orlando Magic - George HIll (originally 26th)
23. Utah Jazz - Brandon Rush (originally 13th)
24. Seattle Sonics - Serge Ibaka (originally 24th)
25. Houston Rockets - Goran Dragic (originally 45th)
26. San Antonio Spurs - DeAndre Jordan (originally 35th)
27. New Orleans Hornets - Darrell Arthur (originally 27th)
28. Memphis Grizzlies - Marreese Spieghts (originally 16th)
29. Detroit Pistons - Alexis Ajinca (originally 20th)
30. Boston Celtics - Sonny Weems (originally 39th)
At this point, we're talking some pretty good bench players. After Goran Dragic, there isn't a whole lot of skill left in the 2008 draft, but George Hill, Dragic, and Rush have become some pretty good 2 guards in the league, and Mbah a Moute was a steal for the Bucks at 37. Serge Ibaka was picked right around where he should've been, and he contributes a lot defensively for the Thunder.
