Flashback #77: Bulls Win Draft Lottery (2008)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

May 21, 2008 - Bulls win draft lottery

At the time, the Bulls didn't even have a coach, yet they had the top selection in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Entering the 2008 NBA Draft lottery, the Bulls were slotted ninth and had only a 1.7 percent chance of winning the lottery. Well, as fate would have it, that 1.7 chance prevailed, and the Bulls owned the opportunity to draft either Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley with the No. 1 pick.

The Bulls beat out eight other teams, including the New York Knicks, who had recently hired head coach Mike D'Antoni after he turned down the Bulls' coaching offer.

"It's a really nice consolation for us," said Steve Schanwald, the Bulls' executive vice president for business operations. "We know we're going to end up with a great coach, whatever happens. But even great coaches need great players. And we're going to add a great player."

In the end, the Bulls elected to draft Rose over Beasley, and the decision proved to be the right one. Rose was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Bulls. Through his first 3 1/2 season, he's been a three-time All Star and is the reigning MVP of the league.

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »