Basketball
BASN's NBA Draft Preview
By Yolande Lezine
Jun 26, 2008

HOUSTON -- The 2008 NBA Draft is upon us and this year it is filled with a lot of young freshman and sophomore players.

Memphis State point guard, Derrick Rose  is projected as the No. 1 pick in the draft. If he's selected as the top pick by the Chicago Bulls, he will be playing in his hometown.

"It would be great to play for my home team," Rose said. "My mother wouldn't have too far to go to see me play".

Along with Rose, there are 13 other freshman who could be selected who are projected to be taken in the two rounds of the draft.

The top five picks could possibly be a contingent of freshmen led by Rose, Kansas State's Michael Beasley, USC's O.J. Mayo, Arizona's Jerryd Bayless and UCLA's Kevin Love.

The top15 picks are as follows (as of Wednesday evening):

1. Chicago Bulls
2. Miami Heat
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Seattle Supersonics
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. New York Knicks
7. Los Angeles Clippers
8. Milwaukee Bucks
9. Charlotte Hornets
10. New Jersey Nets
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Portland Trailblazers
14. Golden State Warriors
15. Phoenix Suns

The Houston Rockets, who exited the first round of the 2008 playoffs by losing to the Utah Jazz, will pick at spot No. 25 and 54, unless they decide to move up.

Here is a look at the top prospects for the 2008 NBA Draft as selected by the Forward Times. The players are listed as follows: