Just like the 2007 NCAA Championship teams, the 2008 Championship teams had multiple players get selected in the 2008 NBA Draft. This was, for the most part, expected by many people. Memphis and Kansas were the best two teams in the 07-08 season, which usually means they have the most potential NBA talent.
Five of the eight players selected were from Kansas University, while the other three from Memphis. This was the most players Kansas has ever had in the NBA Draft.
Just being in the national championship game raised all of these players' draft stock. Memphis' entire starting line-up actually entered the NBA, but they eventually pulled out except for Dorsey (senior), Douglas-Roberts, and the first overall pick, Derrick Rose. This is the second year in a row that the first pick was a player who played in that years NCAA championship game (Oden last year, Rose this year).
- B/R Ticket Guide
Kansas had five graduating seniors, two which got selected in the draft with Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun. The three others, who were all previous Mcdonald's All-Americans, got selected in the first 34 picks of the draft (Rush, Arthur, and Chalmers). The only player not to get selected from KU's starting line-up was guard Russell Robinson ,who will probably play in the D-League or in Europe.
The two teams combined had two lottery picks with Derrick Rose and Brandon Rush, and three first round picks with those two and Darrell Arthur.
Darrell Arthur was projected much higher then where he went at the 27th pick. Some teams said they passed on him because a problem with his kidney, but it was later confirmed again that he had no problem. Dorsey, Kaun, and Jackson all got drafted where they were expected, with Dorsey in early to mid second round, and Kaun and Jackson in the late second round. Both Chris Douglas-Roberts and Mario Chalmers were expecting their name to be called somewhere in the first round, but they both had to settle for the early second round.
After all the players are drafted, and everyone signs their contracts whether in the NBA, NBA D-League, or another country, this is just another NBA Draft proving that both the teams in the 2008 NCAA Championship game were the best two teams that year. That's why these players were in the championship game and that is why they were in the NBA Draft.
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4 months ago
Great Article! This trend of drafting players from the final game is a little bit shocking to me. How many stars actually played in that game? I count one… Rose. But even he road the hype waive of the finals to the number one pick. I’m still stunned that he was selected over Beasley. There’s no way that happens if Memphis bowed out of the tournament early.
Chalmers is the most amazing story here. If he doesn’t hit that shot, is he getting drafted? I don’t think he is.
4 months ago
No scouts had there eye on chalmers the whole year, he didn't have to do that well in the championship game to get drafted, i mean it did raise his stock but he definitely would have gotten drafted still
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