Brandon Jennings: "We Always Dream About Getting To The NBA..." (PHOTOS)

GlobalGrind caught up with super tatted baller and NBA superstar Brandon Jennings hours before the 2011 NBA Draft got underway.

We spoke to the Compton, CA born Milwaukee Buck point guard this morning at the Cooper Square Hotel near Astor Place in Downtown, NYC.

Brandon, who chose to play in Italy after graduating high school in 2008, setting off a lengthy debate about the NBA's prep-to-pro policy, chatted with GG about his time in Italy, his favorite NBA draftees, his charity work and his shoe, the Micro G Black Ice  Mid's, his signature shoe with Under Armour.

Here's some of what was said!

GlobalGrind: Can you tell us about yesterday’s event, the Showdown in Chinatown?

Brandon Jennings: Steve Nash's 4th Annual Showdown in Chinatown? We were there to raise money to help kids with early education and we’re just out there, basically, hanging around a bunch of great guys who put on a great show.

How did you play?

It was OK. Sometimes, it goes just the way it goes, you know. I had a couple of sets and I made some defensive stops.

Do you have any favorites going into the draft tonight?

I know a lot of the kids that are entering the draft, some of them I played in high school. Some of them I played against growing up so, you know, there are a lot of favorites out there. There’s not just one particular one. I just wish them all the best of luck!

If you were to name your top 5 number one draft picks who would they be?

Allen Iverson #1, LeBron James, #2, Yao Ming #3, and Derrick Rose, and Shaq.

Your time in Italy, you said it was the best decision for you and your family. Now that you’re playing in the NBA, do you still stand by that?

Yeah, I still stand by it because everything I went through and everything I experienced, helped me. Once I got to the league everything became, I wouldn’t say easy ... but it wasn’t as hard as probably what other rookies went through. Just because I played the first term in it for a year already, I got that experience. I knew what to already expect coming in.