2008 NBA Draft Preview

Rose or Beasley? That's what the Chicago Bulls have to debate at the #1 pick, which is a very enviable decision to have to be made. Other interesting stories abound as we approach draft night on June 26 (Thursday night)...

1) Where will OJ Mayo go?
I find OJ Mayo to be one of the more interesting players in the draft. Despite losing in the 1st round of the NCAA Tourney in his only season, he still has a lot of potential and teams are clamoring to draft him. The other interesting phenomenon is how he has tainted USC's basketball program by (allegedly) taking money, just like Reggie Bush tainted USC's football program by (allegedly) taking money.

2) Which teams like Kevin Love?
Kevin Love was fantastic in college... but as anyone may know who watched him this season, he can hardly move and is one of the slowest guys on the court. Of course, he knows how to shoot jumpers, make post-up moves (at least on collegiate players), and appears to know how to rebound. His speed is such a question mark that K-Love could go as high as #5 or drop to #10 or even lower.

3) Which team will get suckered into drafting Eric Gordon from Indiana?
Eric Gordon is a poor man's Allen Iverson, as he's small and likes to take a lot of shots. I just don't think he's nearly as good or as quick as Iverson ever was.

4) Brook Lopez or Robin Lopez?
The twin 7-foot centers will both be drafted in the first round. Brook is known as more of an offensive player, while Robin is known as more of a defensive player. I'm very curious to see where each get drafted as it appears from various mock drafts that the number of picks that separate the two appears to be less than originally thought a few months ago.

5) What kind of help will LeBron get?
An argument can be made for virtually any position for the Cavs. I would prefer a scorer who can create his own shot for the Cavs. Perhaps either Brandon Rush (Kansas) or Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis) would fit there, if they are still available at #19. If the Cavs decide to go big because B. Wallace and Z may be gone within one year, I just hope the Cavs avoid Koufos from Ohio State who is a real long-term project.