NBA Draft -- Round 1

PICK: 1. Chicago

PLAYER: Derrick Rose

HT: 6-1 1/2

WT: 196

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Memphis

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Can’t-miss point guard -- but should he have gone ahead of Michael Beasley, who’s sure to put up better numbers as a rookie?

--

PICK: 2. Miami

PLAYER: Michael Beasley

HT: 6-7

WT: 239

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Kansas State

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Goofball past counted against him, but if he’s not a total knucklehead, capable of averaging 20 points as a rookie.

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PICK: 3. Minnesota

PLAYER: O.J. Mayo

HT: 6-3 1/4

WT: 200

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: USC

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Despite hype and payoff controversy, he’s solid and tested off charts athletically with 41-inch vertical. Best of all, he lives for the game.

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PICK: 4. Seattle

PLAYER: Russell Westbrook

HT: 6-2 1/4

WT: 192

CL: So.

SCHOOL: UCLA

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Surprise, but they need point guard (plus a center and two forwards). Happily, he won’t have many people watching as he learns the position.

--

PICK: 5. Memphis

PLAYER: Kevin Love

HT: 6-7 3/4

WT: 255

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: UCLA

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Total anomaly. Even if he’s an earth-bound tweener, pros saw how special his passing and feel for the game were.

--

PICK: 6. New York

PLAYER: Danilo Gallinari

HT: 6-9

WT: 212

CL:

SCHOOL: Italy

HEISLER’S COMMENT: GMs are leery of Euros after Darko Milicic, Andrea Bargnani, but Coach Mike D’Antoni played with his dad in Italy, loves big men who can shoot.

--

PICK: 7. CLIPPERS

PLAYER: Eric Gordon

HT: 6-2

WT: 222

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Indiana

HEISLER’S COMMENT: They luck out, after all. They think he’s a scoring machine. Any guard who can make a jump shot is an upgrade.

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PICK: 8. Milwaukee

PLAYER: Joe Alexander

HT: 6-7 1/4

WT: 220

CL: Jr.

SCHOOL: West Virginia

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Maybe they’re trying to corner the market on small forwards. After acquiring Richard Jefferson, they draft Alexander.

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PICK: 9. Charlotte

PLAYER: D.J. Augustin

HT: 5-10

WT: 171

CL: So.

SCHOOL: Texas

HEISLER’S COMMENT: No way Ray Felton makes it at point guard for new Coach Larry Brown. When they couldn’t get Westbrook, went for this little big man.

--

PICK: 10. New Jersey

PLAYER: Brook Lopez

HT: 6-11 1/4

WT: 258

CL: So.

SCHOOL: Stanford

HEISLER’S COMMENT: President Rod Thorn and GM Kiki Vandeweghe are like kids at Christmas as legitimate, 6-11 1/4-in-bare-feet, low-post scorer drops in their lap.

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PICK: 11. Indiana-a

PLAYER: Jerryd Bayless

HT: 6-1 3/4

WT: 204

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Arizona

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Reportedly Portland-bound. Dropped as teams took point guards who actually pass, but athleticism and shooting ability give him big upside.

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PICK: 12. Sacramento

PLAYER: Jason Thompson

HT: 6-8 1/2

WT: 250

CL: Sr.

SCHOOL: Rider

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Dark horse from nowhere who shot up charts while more celebrated big men were going the other way.

--

PICK: 13. Portland-a

PLAYER: Brandon Rush

HT: 6-4 1/2

WT: 210

CL: Jr.

SCHOOL: Kansas

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Reportedly Indiana-bound. Came out twice before, was rated in 20s, put up same numbers as Jayhawks junior, won NCAA title, wound up in lottery.

--

PICK: 14. Golden State

PLAYER: Anthony Randolph

HT: 6-9

WT: 197

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Louisiana St.

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Big, athletic, skilled but frail. If Don Nelson wouldn’t play Brandan Wright, Randolph’s season may end after they take team picture.

--

PICK: 15. Phoenix-b

PLAYER: Robin Lopez

HT: 6-11 1/4

WT: 255

CL: So.

SCHOOL: Stanford

HEISLER’S COMMENT: As you may have heard, Shaquille O’Neal needs more and more backing up these days.

--

PICK: 16. Philadelphia

PLAYER: Mareese Speights

HT: 6-8 1/2

WT: 250

CL: So.

SCHOOL: Florida

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Big, physical, athletic, looks like second coming of Al Horford but doesn’t have same drive.

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PICK: 17. Toronto

PLAYER: Roy Hibbert

HT: 7-0 1/2

WT: 278

CL: Jr.

SCHOOL: Georgetown

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Pick goes to Indiana if O’Neal deal goes through. Hibbert works hard and has skills but is awfully slow-footed for an up-tempo team.

--

PICK: 18. Washington

PLAYER: JaVale McGee

HT: 6-11

WT: 241

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Nevada

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Looked so bad in workouts, there was speculation he’d fall out of first round but skinny as he is, has a big upside.

--

PICK: 19. Cleveland

PLAYER: J.J. Hickson

HT: 6-7 1/2

WT: 235

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: N. Carolina St.

HEISLER’S COMMENT: As you may have noticed, Ben Wallace needs more and more backing up these days.

--

PICK: 20. Charlotte-c

PLAYER: Alexis Ajinca

HT: 6-10

WT: 216

CL:

SCHOOL: France

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Unable to get a big man, Bobcats must be hoping to raise their own. Frail as he is, may stay in Europe for a year or two or...

--

PICK: 21. New Jersey-d

PLAYER: Ryan Anderson

HT: 6-8

WT: 230

CL: So.

SCHOOL: California

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Outside shooter with all-around offensive game, although athletic enough to figure as starter.

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PICK: 22. Orlando

PLAYER: Courtney Lee

HT: 6-3 1/2

WT: 200

CL: Sr.

SCHOOL: W. Kentucky

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Tough shooting guard with an all-around game but not big enough or explosive enough to get in the mix before this.

--

PICK: 23. Utah

PLAYER: Kosta Koufos

HT: 6-10

WT: 252

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Ohio State

HEISLER’S COMMENT: If they wanted a big man who plugs the middle on defense, this isn’t him. Koufos is more like a slender Mehmet Okur

--

PICK: 24. Seattle-e

PLAYER: Serge Ibaka

HT: 6-8 1/2

WT: 250

CL:

SCHOOL: Spain

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Major leaper from Congo who just started playing. Perfect for team on shoestring budget that can leave him in Europe, off its payroll.

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PICK: 25. Houston

PLAYER: Nicolas Batum

HT: 6-6 1/2

WT: 210

CL:

SCHOOL: France

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Major athlete who was supposed to go in teens but was red-flagged medically with heart issue.

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PICK: 26. San Antonio

PLAYER: George Hill

HT: 6-1 1/4

WT: 181

CL: Jr.

IUPUI

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Scrappy point guard, but first question is what those initials stand for: Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis.

--

PICK: 27. New Orleans

PLAYER: Darrell Arthur

HT: 6-7 1/2

WT: 216

CL: So.

SCHOOL: Kansas

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Downer for long, athletic player projected for lottery. Before talk about kidney problem, wasn’t consistent or productive.

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PICK: 28. Memphis-f

PLAYER: Donte Greene

HT: 6-8 1/4

WT: 221

CL: Fr.

SCHOOL: Syracuse

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Big, talented, athletic. If they can lure him inside the three-point line, they may have something.

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PICK: 29. Detroit-g

PLAYER: D.J. White

HT: 6-6 1/2

WT: 242

CL: Sr.

SCHOOL: Indiana

HEISLER’S COMMENT: Reportedly ticketed for Seattle. Hard-working and physical even if he’s not big for a power forward.

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PICK: 30. Boston

PLAYER: J.R. Giddens

HT: 6-4

WT: 208

CL: Sr.

SCHOOL: New Mexico

HEISLER’S COMMENT: McDonald’s All-America who bounced around. Transferred from Kansas, was stabbed in bar fight before getting it together, more or less.

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aa-Minnesota traded the rights to Mayo to Memphis for the rights to Love in a deal that includes eight players; a-Indiana trades first-round draft pick Bayless to Portland for No. 13 pick Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts; b-from Atlanta; c-from Denver; d-from Dallas; e-from Phoenix; f-Draft rights sent to Portland; g-from LAKERS; h-Detroit trades D.J. White for Seattle 32nd overall pick.