Derrick
Rose has been out of NBA circles for more than one year now. Before he tore his ACL in April 2012, he was
widely considered a top-five player in the NBA. He was one year removed from a NBA MVP Award. He was praised as the savior for a Chicago Bulls franchise that had not
experienced much success since Michael Jordan retired. When he went
down with an injury, the hopes of the franchise were momentarily lost. But, now, those hopes are once again shared
among the many Chicago Bulls fans.
Derrick
Rose is a special talent for multiple reasons.
He is the most athletic point guard in the NBA. His ability to dominate basketball games is
predicated on his ability to be faster, stronger, and more explosive than the
point guards who attempt to guard him.
Without his explosiveness, I am not sure he would be as effective. I have never heard him described as a
particularly “heady” player or someone who is a "true" point guard. Those compliments are usually reserved for Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams. He uses his athleticism effectively on both
ends of the court. Because of his
lateral quickness, and ability to anticipate opposing players’ moves, he has
become a really good position defender.
In many respects, he anchors the Chicago Bulls’ defense.
The
City of Chicago has experienced a lot of turmoil over the last few years as a
result of gang violence and a murder rate that rivals wars in other
countries. Many young, inner city Chicago residents do
not have much hope that they can overcome their unfortunate situations. Derrick Rose, as Chicago's prodigal son, represents a breath of fresh air for
many of these young kids. Rose is from Chicago and grew up in a gang-infested part of the
City. Despite these seemingly
insurmountable odds, he survived and flourished. He attended college, albeit for only one
year. He has conducted himself as a
professional on and off the court and has never had any issues that so many
young, professional athletes cannot seem to escape. He also seems to have a humble spirit and
genuinely loves the game. His latest commercial
depicts his love for the game. At the
end of the commercial, and I am paraphrasing, he states: What would be left
without the fame and money of the NBA?
His response is “everything.” For
some folks I would dismiss the comment as a marketing ploy, but for Rose, I
truly believe he means what he said.
The
NBA regular season is right around the corner.
That said, Rose’s long-awaited return is only a few days away. As if that were not a big enough occurrence,
the Bulls open up their season against the defending NBA Champions, the Miami
Heat. The media will be all over that
game. I have watched Rose play a few
games during the preseason, and he looks like he is back to form. He even stated that he is now more explosive
and also that his vertical leap has increased by five inches. That is a scary thought for opposing point
guards. He is certainly coming for Chris
Paul’s title as the best point guard in the game. I cannot wait to see him square off with
Paul, Kyrie Irving, Ty Lawson, Russell Westbrook, and many of the other great
point guards in the league. Rose has acknowledged
that he has a bullseye on his back (no pun intended) and that many of the
young point guards in the league will attempt to make a name for themselves by
dismantling him. Somehow, I am not convinced they will be successful. Welcome
back D. Rose!
Peace
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