Rose or Beasley? Beasley or Rose? Here’s a breakdown:

Derrick Rose
Strengths: Rose is 19 years old, but already has a calm, quiet and mature demeanor that many older players never develop. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Rose has an NBA-ready body. He thrives in the transition game and can summon an extra gear when he needs to get past opponents. The best part of his game right now is his ability to get into the lane and finish around the basket. He also shines in the spotlight, having played some of his best basketball during the NCAA tournament.

Weaknesses: Two things stand out. One, can Rose consistently run an NBA offense? He will need to prove he can make the correct reads, get his team into its sets and create for teammates. Two, his outside shooting. At this point, the results are OK, but his shot mechanics are questioned. How will this transfer to the NBA, especially with its deeper 3-point line? Rose shot 34 percent on his 3s in his sole college season. In two collegiate seasons, Paul shot a stellar 47 percent.

Draft campaign 2008: “Derrick’s an introverted kid who matured in a short period of time. He could have scored 25 a game, but he deferred a lot this year. He just wants to win. He has such an incredible will to win. I don’t know where that comes from. We played 40 games and had 115 practices, and he came to every single one of them focused and ready to work — that’s a skill. Then, his speed and ability to finish over people really stand out. He’s not chasing money, he’s chasing greatness. Point guards like him just don’t come along very often. And when they made Derrick, they broke the mold.” — Memphis coach John Calipari

Michael Beasley
Strengths: Beasley is also 19, but clearly one of his strengths is his strength. At 6-8 and roughly 240 pounds, Beasley overpowered most college opponents. He plays with purpose around the basket, can finish with either hand and attacks the glass (12.4 per game). But the trait that really separates Beasley is his shooting touch and range for a guy his size. He wowed attendees at the Orlando pre-draft camp with a flurry of 3-point shooting.

Weaknesses: Despite his size, Beasley is a bit short for a franchise power forward. Rebounding aside, can he anchor the defense? Can he defend the center position, if needed? These are the abilities that separate Duncan from Carlos Boozer. If Beasley slides over to small forward, does he have the agility to stay with quicker players? Likewise, would his perimeter game be more easily neutralized? And finally, questions linger about his attitude and maturity.

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Draft campaign 2008: “I listen to all of the reports questioning his character. It’s the biggest farce and joke I’ve ever heard of. He’s a tremendous kid, and the best teammate I’ve ever been around in 23 seasons. The thing I’m proudest of is how Mike embraced the leadership role. He accepted all of his responsibilities and came to compete every single day. When we returned from a loss at Texas Tech, he went straight to the gym and shot balls until 2:30 in the morning. He has a great work ethic. I think he’s a special person. Whatever NBA team he ends up with is going to be extremely happy.” — Kansas State coach Frank Martin

Most evaluators believe Beasley and Rose both will be fine pro players, even all-stars. There’s a difference, however, between a fine pro, an all-star and a franchise player. For example, consider the 2003 draft, where the four selections after James were Darko Milicic, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Milicic has played five years in the NBA and is still 22 years old; it’s too early to label him a bust, but clearly he wasn’t worthy of being selected in front of the other players on that list. Anthony, meanwhile, is a remarkable talent, but he doesn’t impact the game in enough ways to ever become the focal point of a championship team. Bosh made great strides the past two seasons and has showed the ability and desire to continue to improve. Wade’s performance and leadership already reached their pinnacle when he led the Miami Heat to the championship in just his second year, in 2006; since then he has battled injuries.

Whether it boils down to ability (Milicic) or leadership (Anthony), assessing the components of talent is no easy task. For example, Clippers executive Elgin Baylor once said this about Olowokandi, the center Baylor drafted No. 1 overall in 1998: “He is a legitimate center with good wingspan and has good offensive skills. When he came in and worked out, it was amazing. I don’t see a great risk in taking him. Some of the great centers in the league are getting older. And he is going to be one of the top centers in this league.”