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What if Derrick Rose Wasn’t Drafted in 2008?

By Michael Whitlow

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By drafting Derrick Rose with the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls solidified their superstar of the future and brought the organization back to prominence. Even with Rose’s injury history, where would the Bulls be had they not selected Englewood District’s favorite son?

“With the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select, Michael Beasley from Kansas State University.”

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Yikes. That’s more scary to think about when you actually write it out.

Leading into the 2008 NBA Draft, the Bulls somehow, with a 1.7 percent chance of winning the NBA Draft Lottery, held the top overall pick and the big discussion was, would the Bulls take Derrick Rose, the homegrown kid from the mean streets in the Englewood District of Chicago?

Or would the Bulls take do-it-all forward Michael Beasley from Kansas State?

Of course, the Bulls took Rose, and the rest is history.

Rose became the first rookie to be drafted No. 1 overall and win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award since LeBron James in 2003 and became the youngest most valuable player in NBA history in just his third season, while the Bulls went back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1998.

Then, the injury bug bit Rose harder than any other superstar since, as Rose has had three knee surgeries and has only played in 100 games since his MVP campaign in 2010-11.

Despite the injuries and some turning their backs on the now 26-year-old guard, Rose is ever defiant, trying to grasp the Derrick Rose of old.

Even without the “old Derrick Rose” making nightly appearances on ESPN’s Sportscenter, without those first four* seasons, the Bulls wouldn’t be among the league’s elite franchises again.

(*The 2011-12 NBA season was a lockout-shortened season that featured some nagging Rose injuries, in which Rose only played in 39 of a possible 66 games.)

But, for the inventive purposes of it being NBA Draft season once again, let’s ask the question: What if the Bulls didn’t draft Derrick Rose in 2008?

May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Where were the Bulls before Derrick Rose’s arrival in 2008?

Honestly, not that far off from being really, really good.

From the beginning of the 2004 season to 2007, the Bulls won 137 of a possible 246 games (55.7%) under then-head coach Scott Skiles, who’s now with the Orlando Magic.

Add in three playoff appearances in that span, including a first-round sweep of defending champion Miami during the 2007 postseason, and the Bulls were on the cusp of taking “the next step”.

Then, after a disappointing 9-16 start to the 2007-08 season, Skiles was fired and all the work the Bulls made was seemingly torn down. The Bulls missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season and entered the offseason with a pile of questions, and hardly any answers.

Despite lacking a head coach, the Bulls had talent. Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Thabo Sefolosha and all were young — none of the four had more than four years in the league — and the Bulls had just drafted future All-NBA center Joakim Noah the summer prior.

The Bulls made the questionable decision to hire Phoenix assistant general manager Vinny Del Negro shortly after their improbably lottery win in May of 2008.

In a coaching search where the Bulls also pursued former Phoenix head coach Mike D’Antoni and former Bulls head coach Doug Collins, the Bulls decided to go young (just like the roster) and bring in Del Negro.

But, something else was missing: a legitimate star.

Apr 20, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) dribbles the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo (00) during the second half in game two of the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at the United Center. The Chicago Bulls defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 92-81. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Along with Rose and Beasley, the Bulls had some serious options with the No. 1 pick:

  • USC guard and heavily-hyped star O.J. Mayo, who spent just one season at Southern California under former Bulls coach Tim Floyd of all people.
  • A firecracker off the UCLA bench the year prior, Russell Westbrook, was a key in the Bruins going back to their third consecutive Final Four.
  • UCLA forward and a dynamic shooter for his size, Kevin Love was drawing interest as a valuable weapon with his shooting and elite rebounding abilities.

But, after Rose’s dominant freshman season with Memphis — the clear-cut best team in college hoops in 2007-08 — and Beasley breaking scoring records left and right in the Big XII Conference, there was only two directions for the Bulls to go.

The Bulls were feeling pressure of taking Rose because of one, he was Chicago-bred, and two, the Bulls didn’t have a playmaking guard like Rose on the roster.

Gordon and Hinrich were solid as a backcourt duo, but in terms of getting other guys shots on the floor, along with the ability to get his own shot whenever he wants, nobody in college basketball did it better than Rose did at Memphis.

Rose was the lead guard (along with Westbrook) in terms of the new-and-improved NBA.

When you think of the best point guards in the NBA today, you think three things:

  1. Athleticism/explosion
  2. Tough shot-making
  3. Being able to do it all offensively (driving, passing, long-range shooting, etc.)

Since Rose’s arrival, look at who has arrived in the NBA: Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and John Wall. All four are dynamic playmakers who filled the criteria. One also happened to win the NBA MVP and a title this season.

Sure, guys like Rose and Wall’s long-range shooting may not be up to par, but you have to at least stay honest defensively when they do take those attempts.

——

Derrick Rose being drafted by the Bulls not only changed the organization’s history, but Rose’s arrival — along with many other talented guards — in the NBA helped changed the course of the league.

To win in today’s NBA, you need an elite point guard (unless you’re the 2010-14 Miami Heat and have three of the top 15-20 players in the Association on one roster).

If the Bulls don’t take Rose with the top pick in 2008, the Bulls’ tumble into mediocrity would have most likely continued after the tumultuous 2007-08 season.

As talented as Beasley was, he wouldn’t have done the things Derrick Rose did in just a short span, including making a new rule in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.

It’s a curious scenario to envision, but thankfully for the Bulls, they got their legitimate star.

Next: Reviewing the last decade for the Bulls and their first-round draft picks

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