What does Derrick Rose have to do with this? Nothing.

Last Thursday, the Chicago Bulls made Rose the number 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. General manager John Paxson told the media how hard it is to find a point guard in the draft especially with Rose ability. Paxson pointed out his leadership qualities and he expects him to be a great point guard in this league for 10-15 years.

The one thing Paxson, nor Rose understand is the impact Rose will have on an entire generation of youth in the Chicago area. Monday during his press conference, Rose described his feelings of playing for his hometown, “a dream come true.” For many Chicago youths his age and younger, they have lost the freedom to dream.

The violence between youth in Chicago has reached an alarming level. Chicago Public Schools, like Rose attended (Simeon) have become memorials for kids who never got to see their dreams unfold the way Rose has.

It seems every week, there is another child killed in a senseless act of violence. Why is this? It could be from lack of parental involvement. A four person household in my community (North Lawndale) only brings in $18,000 a year. Most turn to surviving anyway they can, and that usually starts and end with drug dealing. Kids are in an age, where having both parents around is essential. There are way too many pitfalls now-a-days for a single mother or father to be trying to raise a young man or woman.

A lot of the blame always goes to gang violence, but these “gangs” are the families of the children. They feel loved, togetherness and enjoyment of those they feel they connect with. As someone who works with children through a mentoring program (Young Urban Leaders), I know that all these kids need now is that someone who can uplift them, that someone that has come from the exact same environment, knows the struggle and now is going to have all of Chicago’s eyes on him.

I hope that we get to see the hard work this young man has put into getting to this point. Not the cribs, cars, jewelry and other flashy things that devoid kids minds of what really matters. When Chicago drafted Rose, they got more than a face of the franchise, they got the savior of Chicago youth.

Derrick Rose has everything to do with that story in the beginning.

Upon coming home Monday, I was surprised to see Tay and his friends playing on a Fisher Price rim. I asked “What happened to the guns?” “That’s boring,” Tay said. “This is fun.” As I watched him speed past his friends and go in for a dunk, I asked, “Who you supposed to be?” To my surprise Tay answered Derrick Rose. I smiled and proceeded to make my way home, but not before sharing these words of wisdom, “Better work on that left hand.” Tay shouted back to me, “I sure will.”

1-Miami Heat Miami heat need a point guard and as we know it Bulls already picked Derrick Rose and the Heat have Beasley. Heat are pretty much stuck without a PG. Perhaps we trade a strong PG in Kirk Hinrich (whom Pat riley likes hence quoting him as one of the best defensive PG in the league) along with Tyrus Thomas or Drew Gooden and we get Shawn Marion.

2-Milwaukee Bucks Trade Hinrich and Gordon to the Bucks for Michael Redd. The Bulls could then put Redd at the 3 and move Deng to power forward. With Rose at the point that would create a dynamic offense.

3-Dallas Mavericks Package Hinrich with Sefolosha and Gordon for Josh Howard and Jason Terry (this deal doesn’t seem fair but the Mavs are about to blow that team up).

4-L.A Clippers Trade Hinrich and Gordon to the Clippers for Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas, and Brevin Knight. Thomas would be released right after the trade and is used solely to match salaries. Knight is an excellent backup point guard and would be a terrific mentor to Derrick Rose. Maggette and Deng together with Rose could turn into the foundation of the franchise.

5-L.A Clippers  The Bulls can trade Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni for Elton Brand. They can finally bring this forward back to Chicago who was traded for Chandler. He gives the Bulls a nice dominant inside presence which we have been lacking for many years now.

Kirk Hinrich is a good player, not a great player but Defensive wise, he is one of the best defensive PG in the game as quoted by Pat Riley. We have a good value in Kirk Hinrich, and there are many teams that can use Hinrich. We all know that Rose > Hinrich. Therefore we can rid of Hinrich for a quality player in a different position, perhaps for an inside scorer. Even better, we can Package Ben Gordon with Hinrich and get a great player that will improve the team tremendously (perhaps we can aim for Elton Brand), I mean we already have Larry Hughes, Rose to start and Duhon and Thabo to come off the bench, which in my opinion is great.

The offseason is just starting and cant wait to see what Paxson and Negro can make out off this offseason.

I’m now excited in the direction this team is going. While I do know Kirk Hinrich is still the Bulls starting point guard, I believe Rose and him will share the backcourt along with Ben Gordon, (contract permitting) in a three guard system at times.

I been hearing Rose is being handed the key to the Bulls offense now and that simply isn’t true, he is going to take it. He will be able to get past his man on offense and get to the lane where he is strong enough to take a hit and be able to finish. His court vision is also an upgrade over anything we have ever seen with the organization.

I think John Paxson knew all along who they were selecting, but for the sake of argument and media, he had to keep us waiting, the same with the contract situation of Loul Deng and Gordon.

We were all blessed to have Michael Jordan and I believe after Rose career is done, we’ll be prasing again.

It can be said that the workout wasn’t important, because it wasn’t. Riley did talk with Rose over the phone. Initially it was reported that Rose wouldn’t work out for Miami at all due to the fact he has been working out in LA and didn’t want to be traveling across the country.

Rose worked out for the Bulls on Thursday and spent two days with general manager John Paxson and new coach Vinny Del Negro. Rose didn’t hide his desire to be selected #1 by the team he grew up watching.

Rose will be traveling to New York Monday night for the draft.

I broke down my Top-8 Point Guards and Combo Guards in this years draft HERE.

“Everything would be perfect, it would be a dream come true, I swear,” Rose said Thursday at the Bulls’ practice facility. “I’ll probably faint if they call my name, I’ll need a paramedic close by.”

The Bulls have a week now to decide Rose or Beasley and according to GM John Paxson, their mind isn’t made up yet. “I can understand the human element,” Bulls general manager John Paxson said. “It’s not something that is dismissed. I understand that. But we do have a decision to make and it ends up being a business decision, and that dictates how we’ll decide to go forward. We still have a week and we haven’t made up our mind.”

If the Bulls do select Beasley, Rose will take it very hard. “I’ll hate it. Anybody would hate their hometown not taking you, knowing that it could happen,” Rose said, “But the biggest thing was playing in the NBA. My work ethic isn’t going to change.”

Rose worked out today after Beasley completed his workouts and interviews earlier this week. Both player’s have taken the dreaded Bulls psychological test.

Paxson is very excited with Rose ”With Derrick, he’s a special talent at a position that you can have him at for the next 10 to 12 years and feel very good about it,” Paxson said. “It’s an interesting argument. We’re not sitting there comparing the same position. We’re comparing two totally different things. What we’ll answer at the end of the week is ‘where do we think we’ll be with the players three or four years down the road?’ ”

He’s also excited with Beasley, “Then you can make the argument that Michael is a guy who can flat-out score, and in our league you’ve got to put the ball in the basket,” Paxson said.

Even new coach, Vinny Del Negro is miffed at who the Bulls should select, “scoring aspect is incredibly important and Michael has done some things in college that were incredibly impressive,” Del Negro said. “Watching his workout [Tuesday], you could see how easy the game is for him.” He, later touched base on the qualities Rose has, “We have a really talented young team that needs some direction in some areas and a point guard would help,” he said. “Another scorer would help, too. It’s not as cut and dried as most think.”

Adding to the mystery of the selection, representatives for both Beasley and Rose have told ESPN.com their client will be taken with the No. 1 pick. So far they have had no reason to waver.

You can view Rose 1-on-1 interview with bulls.com right HERE.

Mock Draft Consensus 

He seemed impressed with new coach Vinny Del Negro. “Everybody’s been cool,” Beasley said. “[Del Negro] was real laid back, he had a couple jokes.”

The workout just included basic drills that he had performed while at the pre-draft camp in Orlando. “Dribbling the ball, posting, shooting, curls, screen work,” he said.

While several mock drafts have Beasley dropping as low as #3, I really don’t see that happening simply because he is one of the top-2 talents in the draft.

He said all the right things during interviews. “I want to be like Michael Beasley and Michael Beasley only,” he said. “I don’t want to be like nobody else. I want to make my own first step. I want to be better than everybody. I mean no disrespect to anybody in the league. There are great players in the league, obviously. But I would be cheating myself, if I told you I went on the court everyday wanting to be second-best to anybody. I want to be the best.”

He cleared up character concerns teams, fans, so-called experts and most of the media has about his character, specifically why he went to 7 different high schools, “That’s basically what it was,’’ he said. “I went to one high school and the basketball program is not as good as it’s supposed to be or the system the coach was playing was not the system for me. I was just trying to find the right fit.’’

He also talked about the fact that he is 6′7 instead of the 6′10 he had been listed at in college.

“It’s disappointing to find out I’m a midget,” he said. “No matter if I’m five feet or 8-1, I’m the same player. I didn’t know there was a height requirement for the NBA. I’m going to work as hard as I can.”

What was impressive is the fact that he has added 20lbs of muscle to an already impressive frame. “That was just a crazy strength coach that was going to push you in the weight room each day,’’ he said. “I want to [add more weight] but not too much. Not too early on. I’m going to get stronger playing in the NBA but I’m not worried about it.’’

He also said the right things about the current player’s on the Bulls roster. “I know they got two great guards [Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich];Luol Deng at the three; Tyrus Thomas; Joakim Noah at [center]. I think I’d fit in real good at the three or four spot. I can play any position you want me to. I played a little 3, 4. I’m just anxious to see how this plays out. I’ll play whatever position is needed. I do what’s needed. Sometimes I rebound. sometimes I’m a scorer, sometimes I’m a defensive player, sometimes I’m a cheerleader. Whatever’s needed for my team.’’

Beasley is in town until tomorrow and than Derrick Rose is expected to be worked out at the Berto Center following Beasley’s visit.