2008 NBA Draft: Derrick Rose Selected No. 1 by Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls selected Memphis guard Derrick Rose with the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft on Thursday.

Rose, a Chicago native, led the Memphis Tigers to the NCAA Championship game after a stellar freshman season.

Prior to the draft, there was speculation whether Rose or Kansas State forward Michael Beasley would be selected No. 1. However, the Bulls made the expected decision by selecting Rose.

Beasley was selected No. 2 by the Miami Heat, joining former All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion. Beasley looks to improve the Heat's 15-67 record, which was the worst in the Eastern Conference last season.

USC guard O.J. Mayo was selected No. 3 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking the first time in NBA history that three freshmen were taken with the top three picks in the draft.

Five of the top seven selections were freshmen after UCLA's Kevin Love (5th, Memphis Grizzlies) and Indiana's Eric Gordon (7th, LA Clippers) were drafted. It was also a big night for the Pac-10 Conference, who had five of the top eleven picks.

Soon after the draft, the Timberwolves traded Mayo to Memphis for Love in a blockbuster deal. Memphis also receives Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner, while Minnesota gets Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins.

Several players dropped further than expected in mock drafts. Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless was expected by many to go No. 4 to the Seattle Supersonics, but fell to No. 11 to the Pacers. He was then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, along with Ike Diogu, for Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts and the rights to Kansas forward Brandon Rush.

Rush now joins his brother Kareem on the Pacers.

No one fell more than Kansas forward Darrell Arthur. After being invited to the "green room," Arthur went from a projected lottery pick to the No. 27 pick by the New Orleans Hornets. However, his trek did not stop there as he was traded three more times throughout the night.

Arthur was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash considerations in a deal the Hornets made prior to the draft for their No. 27 pick. The Rockets then traded French wingman Nicolas Batum to the Blazers for the rights to Arthur and Memphis power forward Joey Dorsey (No. 33 overall).

After Arthur landed with the Rockets, he was later sent to Memphis for the rights to Syracuse freshman Donte Green, the 28th overall pick, and a future second-round pick.

For the results and recap of the first and second rounds of the 2008 NBA Draft, please go to http://news.yourfindit.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=51865&cat=6

For more Sports News, please go to http://news.yourfindit.com/NewsList.aspx?cat=6&wcat=5

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