NBA: Chicago find their Rose

Rose: returning home

It was great hearing my name and being the number one pick.

Derrick Rose
Quotes of the week

The Chicago Bulls used the first pick of the NBA draft to recruit local boy Derrick Rose.

The 19-year-old point guard led the University of Memphis to a runner-up finish in the NCAA tournament in his solitary season of college basketball.

And that was enough to persuade the Bulls to take Rose back to the city in which he was born and raised.

With 6ft 7in power forward Michael Beasley going second to the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves selecting point guard OJ Mayo third, college freshmen made up the first three picks for the first time in draft history.

"I was a little nervous when they came back out, but I always had that in my mind that I want to be number one," said Rose.

"So, it was great hearing my name and being the number one pick."

Russell Westbrook, another point guard, went fourth to the Seattle SuperSonics, while the Memphis Grizzlies chose power forward Kevin Love fifth.

New York welcome

The New York Knicks used the sixth pick to take Danilo Gallinari, a decision that was greeted with boos from their fans at Madison Square Garden, the draft venue.

The 19-year-old Italian plays for Armani Jeans Milano and his father, Vittorio, is a former team-mate of Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni.

"I will help the team to win," said Gallinari in an effort to win over the hostile audience.

"New York is best city in the world."

D'Antoni made light of the situation, saying: "I'd be more worried if they're booing him next year. But I don't think that'll happen."

Twins separated

Twin brothers Brook and Robin Lopez are heading in different directions.

The 7ft pair have starred together at Stanford during the last two years, impressing sufficiently for Brook to be taken 10th overall by the New Jersey Nets and Robin 15th to the Phoenix Suns.

They become the first brothers to be selected in the opening round of the same draft.

The Nets had already pulled off a big trade earlier in the day by acquiring last year's number six pick Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for forward Richard Jefferson.