The
2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the
Washington Mutual Theatre at
Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this
draft,
National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur college
basketball players and other first-time
eligible players, including international players from non-North American professional leagues. According to the NBA, 44 players, 39 collegiate players and five international players, filed as early-entry candidates for the 2008 NBA Draft. These numbers do not include players who are automatically eligible for the draft. The
Chicago Bulls, who had a 1.7 percent probability of obtaining the first selection, won the
NBA Draft Lottery on May 22. The Bulls' winning of the lottery was the second-largest upset in NBA Draft Lottery history behind the
Orlando Magic, who won it in
1993 with just a 1.5 hance. The
Miami Heat and the
Minnesota Timberwolves obtained the second and third picks respectively.