NBA Savior: 22 Reasons Derrick Rose Will Save the League

by Jeff Laboon

Point guard Derrick Rose has become a star of the NBA in only two seasons. Used to being the center of attention at Memphis University, Rose accepted the spotlight in Chicago. If your eyes aren't on Rose, they should be because he's saving the league.


1. Born and Raised. Born in southwest Chicago, Rose was drafted first overall ahead of Michael Beasley by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, in 2008.

2. Rookie of the Year. Only the third Bulls player to receive the honor (Michael Jordan, 1985, Elton Brand, 2000).

3. Skills. First rookie to win the NBA All-Star Weekend’s Playstation Skills Challenge. He beat Devin Harris, Mo Williams, and Tony Parker to receive the crown.

4. The Boston Series. As the seventh seed, Chicago Bulls pushed the defending champion Boston Celtics to Game 7 before losing 109-99 in Boston. In Chicago’s three wins, Rose averaged 29 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds.

5. The crossover. Few guards in the league can handle the ball as swiftly as Rose. His ball-handling is scary.

6. NCAA. In his one season at Memphis, Rose led the Tigers to a 38-win season and the NCAA Championship game. The season is now vacated, though, because of invalidated SAT scores for Rose.

7. Plays for the Chicago Bulls. The young Bulls are starting to mature after consecutive 41-41 seasons. With the addition of veteran big man Carlos Boozer and the leadership of Rose, the Bulls hope to take the next step.

8. Jersey. Rose’s jersey ranks behind Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard as the most popular jersey in the NBA.

9. Three-pointer. Watch out because no he’s added a three-pointer to his arsenal. He told the Chicago Tribune in a July 15, 2010 article, “You’ll see. I just have so much confidence in my jump shot now. It’s coming along so good…”

10. ADIDAS. He’s part of the company’s “It’s on me for my brotherhood” ad campaign.

11. Mr. Basketball. Named Illinois’ Mr. Basketball in 2007.

12. Champ. Won back-to-back championships at Simeon Career Academy, a first for Chicago-area public schools.

13. Height. Rose stands at only 6-foot-3, but can finish an alley-oop with the best of them.

14. Flashy with respect. Rose can make you say “ooh and awe” without unnecessary spin dunks or taunts. He’ll score by any means necessary whether he has to draw opponents to the outside or fight for a lay-up.

15. Mr. Behind the Scenes. Rose doesn’t call himself the King of Akron, but he does show fans some love on his Facebook page with exclusive content.

16. God Bless America. Rose is among the new crop of stars for Team USA that hopes to reignite the days of the Dream Team.

17. No fear. Rose and the Bulls are not afraid for the New World Order in Miami.

18. Old school NBA. He wants to be the star of the Bulls. He doesn’t want to join forces with his contemporaries. He wants to beat the hell out of them.

19. Not an attention whore. Rose doesn't make a big spectacle of himself by throwing powder in the air before every game or dancing on the sidelines during games. He lets his play speak for itself.

20. Still a kid. Rose is only 21. His career is just starting to blossom. Plus he has his very own Skittles machine, what?!

21. Tattoo. He has the phrase, "The Great Poohdini" tattooed on his shoulder. Weird, right? Rose's grandmother gave him the nickname Pooh when he was little.

22. Humble. He’s humble in a league that can rarely use that word. He told Nick Friedell of ESPN in July, “‘A little guy coming from the South Side of Chicago got his own team. It shows that just hard work and dedication really pays off.’” He's just a kid who appreciates the opportunities he's earned.