With just under 30 hours to go until the NBA draft the speculation is at an all-time high as we await the beginning of basketball’s biggest poker game. So on the eve of the draft here is my first, and only mock draft for 2008.
1. Chicago- Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
2. Miami- O.J. Mayo, SG, USC
3. Minnesota- Michael Beasley, SF/PF, Kansas State
4. Seattle- Jerryd Bayless, PG, Arizona
5. Memphis- Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
6. New York- Russell Westbrook, PG/SG, UCLA
7. L.A. Clippers- Eric Gordon, PG/SG, Indiana
8. Milwaukee- Kevin Love, PF, UCLA
9. Charlotte- Joe Alexander, SF, West Virginia
10. New Jersey- Danilo Gallinari, PF, Italy
11. Indiana- D.J. Augustin, PG, Texas
12. Sacramento- Anthony Randolph, PF, LSU
13. Portland- Brandon Rush, SG, Kansas
14. Golden State- DeAndre Jordan, C, Texas A&M
15. Phoenix- Donte Green, SF, Syracuse
16. Philadelphia- Marreese Speights, PF, Florida
17. Toronto- Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas
18. Washington- Kosta Koufas, C, Ohio State
19. Cleveland- Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown
20. Denver- Alexis Ajinca, C, France
21. New Jersey- Robin Lopez, C, Stanford
22. Orlando- Chase Budinger, SG/SF, Arizona
23. Utah- JaVale McGee, PF, Nevada
24. Seattle- J.J. Hickson, PF, NC State
25. Houston- Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG, Memphis
26. San Antonio- Jason Thompson, PF, Rider
27. Portland- Ante Tomic, C, Croatia
28. Memphis- Bill Walker, SF, Kansas State
29. Detroit- Ryan Anderson, SF/PF, California
30. Boston- Courtney Lee, SG, Western Kentucky
Okay, okay, okay, I may have jumped the gun giving my Wolves Michael Beasley, but here’s why that’s a bigger possibility than you think it is:
Derrick Rose is going to be the first pick said and done, he’s from Chicago, the Bulls want a point guard and Derrick Rose represents point guard in every sense of the word. So without hesitating Chicago will make Rose the number-one pick at approximately 7:05 pm eastern-time Thursday night, then it gets fun.
The Miami Heat hold the course of the rest of the draft in their hands. In the last few days more than a share of reliable rumors have spread that the Heat don’t want Beasley and will attempt to get O.J. Mayo as D-Wade’s running mate for years to come. In my absolute honest opinion I believe that the Heat will draft Michael Beasley at the two spot and trade him to Minnesota who will draft Mayo shortly after. So Miami gets their man and Michael Beasley is a T-Wolf. (Yes!)
The Pac-10 dominates the rest of the top 10 as they account for four out of the next five picks. Seattle (Oklahoma City) gets their point guard of the future in the feisty Arizona Wildcat Jerryd Bayless. The underrated Brook Lopez falls in the laps of the Memphis Grizzlies, and UCLA teammates Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love go 6th and 8th overall to New York and Milwaukee respectfully.
The lottery continues with New Jersey making Italian Stallion Danilo Gallinari the 10th overall pick and the first foreign player taken. The Nets need a big man to run alongside Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and Devin Harris. Gallinari could fit that roll perfectly.
Indiana gets their point guard of the future in the diminutive Augustin at 11, and after missing bad with Spencer Hawes last year the Kings take another big man in Anthony Randolph out of LSU. Once thought of as a top 5 selection Randolph’s stock has dropped significantly as of late but I think he could be one of the more surprising players out of this year’s draft.
The lottery portion of the draft comes to an end with Golden State taking the development project that is DeAndre Jordan. Jordan has tremendous upside but Warrior fans can’t help but compare him to former lottery pick Patrick O’Bryant if Jordan is the selection at 14.
These are my 2008 projections for the NBA draft, a little bold but I don’t think any of the following is too outrageous. I guess I’ll find out just how much so tomorrow night, remember to tune in at 7:00pm eastern time on ESPN. Also look for my draft recap this weekend at The Rat Rant and pray for Beasley to be in Minnesota blue this time tomorrow. Good luck to all your teams.
Terry Horstman
1 comment:
No way the Warriors take Jordan as long as Nelly is there. He hates developing players. Look how much playing time Brandan Wright DIDN'T get. The Warriors will take a big man that will step into the rotation now (ie. if Love, Koufas, or Arthur fall to them), and of course, the Warriors can never have enough swingmen so don't be surprised if they end up taking a shooter.
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