Derrick Rose reflects on being the youngest MVP in the NBA history: "I followed what Kobe was doing"

At just 22 years and six months old, Derrick Rose became the youngest NBA MVP in the league's history. To many, it came as a huge surprise. However, considering the moments that led up to his award in 2011, it was earned.

The point guard's first impressions on the hardwood were critical, especially as a No. 1 pick. But when he exploded and won the MVP award just three years into the league, his commitment paid off.

Following great footsteps

For the first time since the era of Michael Jordan , the Chicago Bulls franchise saw another MVP in the 2010-11 season. Rose joined an elite company.

The Memphis product had to embody himself as a player worthy of receiving an MVP. He took on attributes and behaviors that meant sacrificing personal and social life. He took inspiration from one of the best at that.

"At that time, I didn't enjoy anything," Rose said of his early seasons in the NBA on the Club 520 Podcast. "I didn't go out to eat with my family and friends like that; no movies like that; none of that, bro. Because I was totally locked into thinking that I had to follow what Kobe was doing."

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant had won the previous two MVPs in 2009 and 2010. Considered by many as the best player in the world at the time, the young Bulls guard knew which player to emulate on and off the court. He even credited No. 24 for encouraging him to keep his life and workouts private .

A memorable season

In his MVP-winning season, Derrick led Chicago to its best record since Jordan's last season in 1998. The team won an NBA record 62 games despite having their core players miss a ton of games. Carlos Boozer missed over a quarter of the season, and Joakim Noah missed nearly half. But they kept winning thanks to their team-oriented offense and suffocating defense thanks to the offensive prowess of the explosive guard.

"It was a blur. I remember at that time, my whole mindset was 'Keep it moving'. So in hindsight, you always wish that you would cherish some of the days a little bit more, like when you look into the past," Rose added.

The Bulls only lost four times in their final 32 games in the 2010-2011 regular season. The franchise took that strong finish to the playoffs, and Rose led them to conference finals, albeit losing to the Miami Heat in five games.

He won the MVP by a landslide, securing 113 of the possible 120 first-place votes. Dwight Howard, who came in second, won three, and LeBron James won four in third place. Rose had a total of 1182 points. If you added together the points for Howard (643) and James (522), they would still have been second to Rose.

Related: "They don't mention the game at all" - D-Rose reveals when he decided to retire from the NBA