Philadelphia, PA — It wasn’t long ago when Derrick Rose became the youngest Most Valuable Player at age 22. At 25 points per game, 7 assist per game, and 4 rebounds, Rose was able to not only lead the Chicago Bulls to their first Eastern Conference NBA Final series against the Heat in 2011, but he was also able to beat out what many consider the greatest NBA player of this NBA era, LeBron James for the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player award.
The NBA fans marveled at the greatness and brilliance of Rose; his flashy dunks and dimes. With Rose as the Bulls face, Chicago was able to secure two division titles, and clinch back-to-back best record in the NBA during the 2010-2011-2011-2012 NBA seasons. The world was in this young kid from Chicago’s hands, until the fall from grace happened during the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoff Quarterfinal Series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
After leading the Bulls to a 1-0 series lead, with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assist, it seemed as if the Bulls were destined for another Eastern Conference Final run. With 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, Rose suffered an injury that would change not only his NBA career, but changed NBA fns perception of the former M.V.P , Rose suffered from a torn ACL.
Then not long after that the healing process, and the process of dealing with criticism began for Rose. Fans on Facebook and Instagram would post harsh memes of Rose, poking fun at the process of his ACL recovery. There were fans that questioned his heart, questioned his dedication to the game of basketball, as most Bulls fans felt he was milking his injury.
Throughout those eight seasons, Rose went through it all, and as time went on fans had reason to believe that Derrick Rose’s best days, best basketball was behind him. Since that M.V.P season, Rose’s numbers dipped every season, with the exception of the 2014-2015 NBA season, where Rose averaged 17.7 points and 4 assist per game; the season where Rose hit a game winner to put the Bulls up against the Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1) in a competitive Eastern Conference Semi-Final series.
The Derrick Rose block to cap off his 50 point performance and @Timberwolves win! #AllEyesNorth pic.twitter.com/VLOlVMpDaa
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2018
After being traded from the Bulls the following season, Rose found himself averaging just 18 points per game alongside longtime teammate and friend Joakim Noah, as a member of the New York Knicks. The following seasons Rose was then signed a 2.1 million dollar deal with the Cavaliers. After taking a leave of absence from the Cavs Rose then rejoined former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota, where his numbers of 18 points and 9 assist per game, mirror what he gave the New York Knicks, which is again not what we’re accustomed to seeing from Rose back in the 2011 NBA season, which was his best.
In the past few months being on a Minnesota ball-club that’s being built around the young cast of Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins, Rose is doing what he can and appears to have taken a step back from being that star player he came into the league to be, until last night’s 50-point barrage reminding the NBA this former 2011 Most Valuable Player still has a lot to show from time to time.
Rose scored 50 points, outdoing Utah’s Donavan Mitchell, who had 25 points for Utah. Rose also had 6 assist and a block on Utah’s Donte Exum that won the game. With the win, as the buzzer sounded Rose was showered with cheers and hugs from teammates, followed by an ice-shower in the Wolves locker room, symbolically winning the respect he’s lost all these years from his pears. Rose won that respect back.
NBA stars such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and many others took to Twitter praising Rose.
When you talk about perseverance, that is the true definition of it,” said James. “Even when a superhero’s knocked down he’s still a superhero and Derrick Rose showed why he’s still a superhero.”
Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were not only rivals of Rose, but were teammates of his during his brief stint in Cleveland. So after years of heckling and embarrassment, Rose has finally earned the respect he should have never lost. Players can control how good they’ll be on the floor, but none can predict or control their injuries. While the entire world felt Rose lost everything, maybe it was placed on hold for the future.
