[Raji]

The NBA Draft in some ways is the single most exciting day of the year. InsideHoops.com, with help from team and league sources including scouts and a few assistant general managers, provides the web's most well-known NBA Mock Draft. We've been doing this since 1999.

Because the draft isn't until June we aren't factoring in which teams have their 2008 first round picks available. Our 2008 NBA Mock Draft just assumes that every single team has their selection and will take the best player possible who fits a team need (unless a player is so great he simply has to be taken.) In other words, the InsideHoops.com NBA Mock Draft is realistic, and therefore useful.

Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose are widely expected to be the first and second picks selected. We'd say Beasley is the favorite to go first, but Rose has a very good shot at it.

The teams are listed in reverse order of the current overall league standings. When the NBA Draft Lottery is completed, we'll update it with the official complete draft order.

2008 NBA MOCK DRAFT

1) Miami Heat: Derrick Rose (PG 6-4 195 Memphis)

2) Seattle Sonics: Michael Beasley (PF 6-9 235 Kansas State)

3) Minnesota Timberwolves: Jerryd Bayless (PG 6-3 190 Arizona)

4) Memphis Grizzlies: Brook Lopez (C 7-0 245 Stanford)

5) New York Knicks: O.J. Mayo (G 6-4 195 USC)

6) Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon (SG 6-5 205 Indiana)

7) Milwaukee Bucks: Danilo Gallinari (SF 6-9 210 Italy)

8) Charlotte Bobcats: Kevin Love (PF/C 6-9 260 UCLA)

9) Chicago Bulls: DeAndre Jordan (C 7-0 240 Texas A&M)

10) New Jersey Nets: Anthony Randolph (F 6-11 215 LSU)

11) Indiana Pacers: Russell Westbrook (PG 6-3 190 UCLA)

12) Sacramento Kings: Darrell Arthur (F 6-10 215 Kansas)

13) Portland Trail Blazers: D.J. Augustin (PG 5-11 180 Texas)

14) Golden State Warriors: JaVale McGee (C 7-0 235 Nevada)

15) Atlanta Hawks: Chase Budinger (SG 6-7 205 Arizona)

16) Philadelphia 76ers: Donte Green (SF 6-8 215 Syracuse)

17) Toronto Raptors: Nicolas Batum (SF 6-8 212 France)

18) Washington Wizards: Roy Hibbert (C 7-2 265 Georgetown)

19) Cleveland Cavaliers: Joe Alexander (F 6-8 230 West Virginia)

20) Denver Nuggets: Chris Douglas-Roberts (SG 6-7 200 Memphis)

21) Dallas Mavericks: Robin Lopez (C 7-0 255 Stanford)

22) Orlando Magic: Mario Chalmers (PG 6-1 190 Kansas)

23) Utah Jazz: Wayne Ellington (G 6-4 200 North Carolina)

24) Phoenix Suns: Brandon Rush (SG 6-7 200 Kansas)

25) Houston Rockets: Ty Lawson (PG 5-11 195 North Carolina)

26) San Antonio Spurs: Nathan Jawai (C 6-10 270 Australia)

27) New Orleans Hornets: Marreese Speights (F/C 6-10 240 Florida)

28) Los Angeles Lakers: Jason Thompson (F/C 6-11 250 Rider)

29) Detroit Pistons: J.J. Hickson (PF 6-9 240 NC State)

30) Boston Celtics: Bill Walker (SF 6-6 225 Kansas State)


FIRST ROUND BUBBLE: Kosta Koufos, Richard Hendrix, Devon Hardin, Davon Jefferson, DJ White, Ante Tomic

WOULD HAVE GONE FIRST ROUND HAD THEY ENTERED THE DRAFT: Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, Tyler Hansbrough


Raji