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Who's Number 1?

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NBA Draft hopeful Michael Beasley gestures at the NBA's predraft camp in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 25, 2008

Updated: 06/25/2008 12:11 am

The Chicago Bulls potentially have a franchise-altering decision ahead in Thursday's NBA draft. Who's the No. 1 pick? By all accounts, it's either Kansas State forward Michael Beasley or Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, who each played one season of college basketball.

The player who is bypassed likely will be taken at No. 2 by the Miami Heat (with USC's O.J. Mayo an outside possibility).

Here's a closer look, along with a few highlights and cautionary tales from the history of No. 1 overall NBA draft picks.

MICHAEL BEASLEY

SCHOOL: Kansas State.

HT./WT: 6-10/235.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Consensus freshman of the year and first-team All-American. Led Division I in rebounding (12.4) and finished third in scoring (26.2). Had three 40-point games and a nation-leading 28 double-doubles, breaking the freshman record of Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony.

SCOUTING REPORT: Left-handed power forward who scores from anywhere on the floor. Length and quickness make him a dominant rebounder. Extremely confident shooter.

QUOTE: "I want to be like Mike - Beasley. And Mike Beasley only. I want to blaze my own path. I want to be better than everybody. I would be cheating myself if I just wanted to be second-best. I think it being mentioned at No. 1 with Derrick Rose makes it more fun. A race isn't a race if you're running by yourself."

DERRICK ROSE

SCHOOL: Memphis.

HT./WT: 6-3/190.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Top playmaker for the NCAA national runner-up. Averaged 4.7 assists and was second on his team in scoring at 14.9. Scored 20 or more points nine times. Raised his game during the NCAA Tournament, scoring a career-high 27 points against Michigan State in the region semifinals. In the championship game against Kansas, had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

SCOUTING REPORT: Excellent decision-maker. Has speed, athletic ability and poise. Also displays great strength in getting to the basket and finishing. Mature young player.

QUOTE: "I'll just be happy to have my name called and get picked. I think Michael Beasley is the better player. I can only hope to fill his shoes. That's just me. I don't want to jinx myself going into the league. I'm more interested in performing, not bragging."

BEST ALL-TIME NO. 1 PICKS

• Magic Johnson, Lakers (1979) - Johnson, a 6-foot-9 point guard who left after his sophomore season at Michigan State, redefined the position and ushered in the "Showtime" era of Lakers basketball. He was part of five NBA championship teams and is on everyone's short list of the best players in league history.

Who went No. 2? The Chicago Bulls picked UCLA's David Greenwood.

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bucks (1969) - Once known as Lew Alcindor, the 7-foot-2 center who led UCLA to three NCAA titles was the obvious choice, and he didn't disappoint anyone. He twice helped the Bucks to the NBA Finals, winning a championship in 1971, before he was traded to the Lakers in 1975. He was part of five NBA championship teams in Los Angeles. He finished with an all-time best 38,387 career points and six league MVP awards.

Who went No. 2? The Phoenix Suns picked Florida's Neal Walk.

• Tim Duncan, Spurs (1997) - Duncan, a 6-foot-11 center from Wake Forest, might be a quiet man, but his accomplishments roar. He s already is a four-time NBA champion, a three-time MVP in the NBA Finals, a 10-time All-Star and the overall league MVP. His career averages: 21.6 points and 11.8 rebounds.

Who went No. 2? The Philadelphia 76ers picked Utah's Keith Van Horn.

WORST ALL-TIME NO. 1 PICKS

• LaRue Martin, Trail Blazers (1972) - Martin, a 6-foot-11 center from Loyola (Ill.), outplayed UCLA's Bill Walton in a college game. That remains his claim to fame. After four seasons, Martin retired from the NBA with career averages of 5.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Second-Guess: Bob McAdoo, a future Hall of Famer, was taken by Buffalo with the second overall pick.

• Michael Olowokandi, Clippers (1998) - Olowokandi, a 7-foot center from Pacific, has averaged 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 10 NBA seasons (with three different teams).

Second-Guess: The 1998 NBA draft also included future All-Stars such as Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce.

• Kwame Brown, Wizards (2001) - Brown, a 6-foot-11 high school center who had signed with Florida, never seemed ready for the fast lane. He has been traded twice, while getting in and out of trouble, and averaging double-digit scoring only once.

Second-Guess: Pau Gasol, a 7-foot center from Spain, went third overall. Ironically, the Lakers acquired Gasol last season by sending a package of players (including Brown) to the Grizzlies.

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