May 20, 2008 – Minutes after winning the 2008 NBA Draft’s first overall pick, Bulls EVP-Basketball Operations John Paxson and EVP-Business Operations Steve Schanwald participated in a conference call with the media to discuss what the pick means for Chicago’s fans and some early Michael Beasley versus Derrick Rose discussion.

Comments on winning the 2008 NBA Draft’s first overall pick:

Can you tell me about your experience, representing your team?

Schanwald: “It was a thrill, honor and privilege to be here for this. It was a very exciting day for the organization. I’m so happy for John (Paxson), our staff, and everyone in our front office that waited patiently for us to catch a break. We caught a bad break a few years ago when we lost Jay Williams, so maybe this was a little bit of payback from the good Lord to get even with us for that bad break.”

What does the number one pick mean for the fans?

Schanwald: “I’m happy for our fans because they’ve been very patient for the last 10 years, supporting us in a way that has been almost beyond belief, through thick and thin. It’s been 10 years since our last championship and they continue to consistently fill the building. They really deserve this, and hopefully it goes well for our future.”

When you got the number one pick, did either Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley pop into your head?

Paxson: “I don’t think there’s any doubt that those two names are the guys that are at the top right now, but I’ve learned you have to go about your business in its normal form. Obviously, we have a chance to get both of those guys in and we’ll get to know them and really take a long look and see what makes the most sense for our basketball team. Obviously we have been put in a unique position to make our team better, and that’s what we will look at from this day forward. We’re technically the youngest team in the league and we’re going to add another terrific young player to this roster, which will make it exciting for us.”

Is there any pressure to choose Rose because he is from Chicago?

Paxson: “No, I haven’t thought about that for one second. Again, we’re going to evaluate what’s best for the team. That’s my job, and it’s my staff’s job, to put the best roster out as possible. We’ll start now, in terms of figuring out how to do that, and we’re very grateful to be in this position tonight.”

How big of a factor is need?

Paxson: “I think you always take a look at that, but so much can happen between now and the draft. We will look at what we can do to balance our roster out better, so when we do make the selection, our roster is a better equipped. I think you look at everything. Need is obviously important, but we have a lot of different needs. We need leadership on our team. There’s no doubt about that. We also need scoring and a few other things. What you have in this draft, when you talk about the kids that everyone considers the top two, is a point guard that is a terrific player that can lead your team and make others better, and the other is a flat-out scorer, so we see how valuable those guys are and again we will be able to evaluate that.”