Fresh NBA crop
NEW YORK – Derrick Rose is going home, and a record crowd of freshmen are following him to the NBA.
The Chicago Bulls selected Rose, who grew up on the city’s South Side, with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday night, choosing the Memphis guard over Kansas State forward Michael Beasley.
With Beasley going second to Miami and Minnesota picking O.J. Mayo at No. 3, college freshmen made up the first three picks for the first time in draft history.
“We actually talked about this earlier,” Beasley said. “We all grew up together and we all grew up playing against each other and we all made a pact together that we would all be here. Just to see it all fall into place and see it all happen is kind of crazy.”
Five of the first seven players selected were freshmen, also an NBA record. It was also a big night for the Pac-10 Conference, which had five of the first 11 picks.
Rose led the Tigers to the national championship game in his lone college season. The Bulls opted for the point guard’s playmaking ability over the scoring and rebounding of Beasley, who ranked in the top three in the nation in both categories.
“We talked so much about it. We really did,” Bulls general manager John Paxson said. “Very honestly, at the end when we made our decision, it was unanimous with my scouts and coaches and myself.”
Expected to contend for a division title, the Bulls instead stumbled to a 33-49 record and eventually replaced two coaches. But with just a 1.7 percent chance, they won last month’s draft lottery, giving them a chance to quickly return to the playoffs.
“It feels great to go in and compete,” Rose said. “I’m just blessed to be in that position right now, because a lot of people aren’t. And just knowing that we are a few pieces away from really contending as a team, it just makes me happy.”
Miami settled for Beasley at No. 2, even though he wasn’t sure if the Heat would go for Mayo instead. Beasley averaged 26.2 points, third in the nation, and topped Division I with 12.4 rebounds per game. But with questions about his size – he may be 2 inches shorter than the 6-foot-10 he’s listed at – the Bulls may not have believed he could play the 4 spot in the NBA.
After Mayo’s selection, UCLA guard Russell Westbrook was the first non-freshmen taken, going fourth to the Seattle SuperSonics.
Kevin Love gave UCLA consecutive picks, going to Memphis at No. 5. Minnesota later traded Mayo to Memphis for Love in an eight-player deal.
The Timberwolves received shooter Mike Miller and retreads Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins from Memphis in exchange the draft rights to Mayo, forward Antoine Walker and guards Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner.
Sonics general manager Sam Presti decided improving the Seattle backcourt was the next step in his remodel of the franchise’s oncourt product.
Highly regarded for his perimeter defense, quickness and massive wingspan, Westbrook made a rapid assent up many draft boards. He left UCLA after his sophomore season, a season where he averaged 12.7 points and started 34 games for the Bruins, helping them reach the Final Four.
Seattle took 18-year-old Serge Ibaka from the Congo with the 24th pick. The 6-foot-10 Ibaka is likely to remain overseas for a few years, but Seattle will retain control over his NBA rights.
The Sonics traded the No. 32 and 46 picks to Detroit for D.J. White, a forward from Indiana who was taken with the 29th pick by the Pistons.
The Sonics took California center DeVon Hardin with the No. 50 overall pick, then Kansas center Sasha Kaun at No. 56.