Derrick Rose might still be in the NBA, but many people remember how good he was during the first few seasons of his career. D-Rose was among the most naturally gifted basketball players in the late 2000s and early 2010s, winning a regular season MVP award in 2011.
Unfortunately, Rose suffered a torn ACL in the 2012 Playoffs, which ended his time as an All-Star player. He has been a role player since that injury, but people like James Johnson continue to speak well about Derrick's legacy, as JJ told a story about how Kobe Bryant gave the young guard his well-deserved flowers.
"I'll never forget we were in L.A., we just got done playing the Lakers. We're walking back to our locker and Bean just looked at him like, 'You a bad m**********r,'" Johnson said on The OGs Show. "That gave me the chills, and he wasn't even talking to me. Damn, he was the one for real. He always kept humble, and I always have respect for D-Rose."
D-Rose was the next great point guard
Since Steve Nash and Jason Kidd were getting older around the early 2010s, the NBA needed playmakers to take over and become the new point guard superstars. Derrick was the first player to carry the torch from there, leading the Chicago Bulls to the best record in the league in the 2010/11 season. That campaign was only his third season, as the Memphis product averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game.
The Bulls were even better than the Miami Heat, the team fresh off signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh in free agency to form a big three with Dwyane Wade in South Beach. However, Rose and Chi-Town were the best squad in the NBA due to the point guard's excellence as a scorer and facilitator.
It was also a big deal for Derrick to play for the Bulls because he was born and raised in the city. That made his story even more compelling because Rose was representing Windy City as the next great point guard and the spiritual successor to Michael Jordan.
Related: Michael Jordan on why guys shouldn't be able to jump from high school to NBA: "Something is affected by leaving college early"
Getting respect from Kobe was significant for any player
The Black Mamba was the most popular player in the NBA during the 2000s and early 2010s, as he was excellent on and off the court. Rose was quiet, but his play style was loud due to his athleticism and flashy passes. Derrick was so impressive that even KB had a tough time guarding him, so showering him with praise was the right move from the five-time champion.
The NBA community continues to lament that D-Rose never reached his full potential as a player. The former Tiger was only in his fourth season when the ACL tear happened, leading teammates like Luol Deng to feel they missed out on winning a title due to his injury.
While he has been a consistent presence in the league, Rose has never reached the heights of the early 2010s. Derrick is still one of the biggest "What if?" stories because he is still the youngest-ever player to win an MVP award.
Related: “Imma try to break you first before you get to me”-Derrick Rose opens up on Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant helping him develop his killer mentality
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