Derrick Rose
With the first overall pick, the Chicago Bulls chose Windy City native Derrick Rose. Rose is an explosive guard who showed sensational leadership ability while leading his Memphis team during the NCAA tournament.
How he fits into the Bulls system is another question altogether. Undoubtedly, Rose is now their best guard, but with a log-jam of point and shooting guards, the Bulls need to trade away some of their pieces, preferably Ben Gordon.
If the Bulls are successful at trading away Gordon and possibly another guard for a big man, the Bulls will have a competitive backcourt with Rose starting at the point and Hinrich moving to the two-guard position.
Height of course will be an issue but the talent of their backcourt most nights will make up for their lack of height.
But the Bulls chose the NBA-ready best talent available, and this choice fits them perfectly. Rose will help them return to competitive status in the Eastern Conference.
Michael Beasley
There were rumors heading into the draft that Miami Heat President Pat Riley was unsure on selecting Michael Beasley with the second overall pick, but it seems as this was all a smoke screen now that Beasley is officially a member of the Heat.
The pick itself is great, how can you pass up on a guy that critics say has the chance to be a future Most Valuable Player? The problem with Beasley was that people believe that he is immature and too thin to play the four in the NBA. But Beasley's talent speaks for itself, the man averaged Durant-esque numbers in his one year in the NCAA and has enormous upside.
How he will mesh with the Miami team though is connected on what the Heat does with Shawn Marion. The two players share the same position and play similar roles, one has to go and it's pretty safe to say that the tandem of Beasley-Dwyane Wade is the safer choice. So where does that leave Marion? If the Heat is able to trade away the former All-star, by all means they should. This team is in a rebuilding phase, and with the talent of Wade and Beasley, it would be better to get younger and to get rid of Marion.
Beasley and Wade will help the Heat win a few more games than the previous year, but I still see the Heat in the lottery next year.
OJ Mayo
This guy can play, the basketball world has known that since he was a sixth grader. And although there are issues on where his head his at, the Minnesota Timberwolves still decided to tab him with the third overall pick.
But the story doesn't end there, in a draft day deal, the Timberwolves shipped Mayo and a few large contracts out for the rights to Kevin Love (fifth overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies) and most notably, Mike Miller.
So how does Mayo fit in Memphis? He gives the Grizz a future All-star at the two to play alongside steady Mike Conley and enigmatic forward Rudy Gay. Mayo will help them immediately but Memphis needs more parts to make this team a contender.
Final Thoughts
The basketball world will get used to seeing these three players for the next 10-15 years. Out of the three, I believe that OJ Mayo will be the steal of the draft at the number 3 spot. Rose will be a solid contributor for Chicago for years to come, Beasley will help Wade and they will probably win a championship down the road, but Mayo is the star of this draft, he may not help Memphis win a championship but he will be the most lauded player of the 2008 NBA draft.
