"Yes, I like Derrick Rose. That's my guy."
Now get prepared for the injury jokes. People still find humor in cracking those I guess.
It has truly been a series of unfortunate events throughout the career of Derrick Rose. After the ACL tear in 2012... during the first game of the playoffs... Bulls are up by 12 on the 76ers... 1:20 left to play... Derrick Rose still in the game (no, I am not bitter)... It has been injury after injury, plaguing what could have been one remarkable career.
Well, it has still been remarkable to me. Can you even begin to understand how many people would have given up already? Over a span of eight seasons Rose has missed 257 games. He is now just the fifth player to be league MVP and play for four or more teams. Shaq and Allen Iverson are also in this category.
"I'm too far in to just walk away. I'm in love with the game. The love of the game. I still am a winner. I still love learning the game," Rose said in an interview with The Undefeated.
Hometown Hero - it was just right.
That is what we love to hear, right? We want to keep players around who do what they have to do just to play the game of basketball. Derrick Rose is now a father of two, having to pack up and move his life around in order to do what he loves the most and continue to provide for his family.
Rose's contracts in the past have not made the whole moving thing too tough financially, but let's not forget about the massive pay-cut he took in order to play with the Cleveland Cavaliers... for a few games at least. Between a couple of different injuries and a personal leave of absence, Derrick Rose managed to play 16 games with the Cavs. He signed the veteran minimum contract of just one year, $2.1 million.
Riley has nothing on PJ.
When I said pay-cut, boy did I mean that. Before he was with the Cavaliers he played one season with the New York Knicks. As you can assume, that did not go too well... for either party. Yet Rose made bank. In just one season with the Knicks Rose made $21.3 million. Rose also has an endorsement deal with Adidas. A 14-year/$190 mil endorsement deal (sheesh). This deal was completed in 2012. 64 days later he tears his ACL... first game of the playoffs... when they were up by 12 on the 76ers with less than two minutes to go (I told you I wasn't bitter, okay?).
So blah blah, Derrick Rose has made a lot of money during his injury-stricken career. That isn't really point of this, but worth mentioning. Let's move on.
Rose was apart of the trade deadline day that the Cavaliers completely took over.
Cleveland traded Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder to the Utah Jazz in a three-team deal. The Jazz sent Rodney Hood to LeBron James and Joe Johnson to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings then sent George Hill to the Cavs. And that's not even half of what all the Cavs did.
The Utah Jazz released Rose just days later. He then signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, being reunited with Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and coach Tom Thibodeau... his former Chicago Bulls family.
Now that I have mentioned the Chicago Bulls to you, let's reminisce. I want to break down why Derrick Rose is "my guy." For starters, I am in love with the city of Chicago. It is absolutely breathtaking. I have even been to the Windy City during the winter months and I still enjoy every second. Rose was the hometown hero. He grew up in Southside Chicago, a place called Englewood. Rose is the youngest of four boys who grew up in one of the most dangerous suburbs of the city. He also has his brothers to thank for keeping him off the streets, something that his mom feared would divert him away from the game where he found his passion. Rose was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, coming out of the University of Memphis where he was coached by the legendary John Calipari. The Chicago Bulls gambled on the 19-year old kid. Not many professional athletes get to play for their hometown, much less be the top pick in the draft.
I found my favorite city, I found my favorite ball player. Here we go.
S/O to the fam
His career was off to a great start. The 2010-11 season rolls around and D-Rose is ballin'. He played 81 games averaging 25 ppg, 7.7 apg, and 4.1 rpg. Rose became the youngest to ever win MVP. He's on top of the world, right?
Of course he was, until April of 2012. I still remember the day like it was yesterday. Not only was this the first playoff game, Bulls vs. 76ers, but this was the day of my senior prom.
Spoiler Alert: They both ended badly. My favorite basketball player goes down with an injury, my prom date was a total dud. Let me say it louder for those in the back, my SENIOR PROM date was a total dud.
In my date's defense, I couldn't stop thinking about the injury. It occurred before the night even began and there wasn't a diagnosis until the following day. So I was probably a dud, too.
You know when you just have that feeling? You sports fanatics get what I am trying to say.
I knew the injury was bad. Maybe not ACL bad... but bad. I also knew what the recovery timeline was when someone tore their ACL. It could take up to a year for Derrick to get back on the court?
*Ashley, stay optimistic. It's Derrick Rose. Your guy!*
September of 2012 rolls around and these videos of Rose's recovery are being published. Now we're talkin'. Now I am really optimistic. So optimistic that I bought tickets for a Lakers vs. Bulls game in Chicago assuming he would be back by then. Seats right behind the basket (hey, at least I was able to see Kobe play).
Derrick Rose: The Return. I was going to get to see "my guy."
... or not.
You know what I was going through. It is absolutely heartbreaking to see your favorite player down and out.
There were talks of Rose's return in March of 2012, but that didn't happen. When May rolls around he is taking a lot of heat from outsiders for not returning yet. When Rose was ready, he would return. I had faith in that. I supported him.
October 29, 2013 was The Return. It was not pretty to say the least. He shot 4-15 and had five turnovers. I did not care. "My guy" was back on the court and that was all that mattered. Anybody who expected him back in MVP-form was ludicrous anyway. I kept the faith.
Would you believe me if I said I still get emotional?
November 22, 2013... tears meniscus. No more Derrick Rose for the season.
*Ashley, optimism. Minor setback, major comeback. Your guy!*
Oddly enough, the magic date of October 29th rolls around the following year and Rose is on his way back. The Return II.
He plays 46 games. I was loving life.
February 24, 2015 and we have another injury. Torn meniscus again.
I mean life just isn't fair at this point, right?
He didn't take too much time off though. Rose came back in April.
There were a few more injuries here and there, but nothing too serious.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game and sometimes they happen more often to certain athletes than they do others. The mental toughness and emotional growth that came out of this for Derrick Rose is worth noting. Like I stated before, many would have thrown in the towel by now.
Let's move on from injuries... to June 22nd of 2016. This is another day that I remember all too well. It was a hot, sunny day in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I was laying out by the pool and soaking up some rays, living my best life. My phone goes off. ESPN alert.
"BREAKING: Derrick Rose being traded to the New York Knicks"
... it was just weird, but I went with it.
Before I officially got the news I had that feeling in my gut again. There were talks about Rose being traded, but it was one of those things that you don't believe it until it actually happens. I was upset at first. The hometown hero wasn't supposed to leave the hometown. Derrick Rose NOT in a Bulls uniform will just be weird. He was even changing his number... but so be it. I will support "my guy" and follow where he goes.
Go Knicks.
Rose missed much of the preseason due to a civil sexual assault case that had come to surface. He also went AWOL when playing for the NYY. No one from the organization had heard anything from Rose or even knew where he was.
That was kind of odd, but it happened.
Moving on.
Rose becomes a Cleveland Cavalier during the offseason. I had just moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Now everything makes sense.
*Ashley, your optimism has paid off. Your guy is in your town!"
He may have only played 16 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but I was there for one of those games. I finally got to see "my guy" play.
Go Cavs (never thought I would say that).
Ya'll know how hard this was for me... but I still went with it.
When Kobe Bryant was discussing his retirement he said, "There's so much beauty in the pain of this thing."
He may have been discussing retirement, but I think this applies to Rose's career. I firmly believe that I have witnessed a beautiful career in Derrick Rose. All I ask is that you take some time to appreciate it as well. There sure have been some painful and low times, but he doesn't need anyone's validation. He said so himself.
"You could have your perspective on me, as far as I'm concerned I'm a bum, I can't play, I can't shoot, this and that, all right, cool. I have no hard feelings with that. I'm cool with that. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel, but at the same time, I don't need your (expletive) validation."
He may not need my validation, but I have some for him.
Do your thing. There's nothing you have to prove to me, D-Rose. It's already been done.
I'm not here to list the timeline of injuries or the different locations Rose has had during his progress. I am here to help those see what Derrick Rose's career has meant to him because clearly it is something overlooked by many.
After being picked up by the Minnesota Timberwolves Rose stated that he believes he's not a selfish player.
"I'm not here for stats or anything like that."
I told you. He just wants to play ball. He has been through hell and high water... and then through it all again, yet he's still here for the love of the game. He has done what so many would have given up on and that earns some respect.
"It's more me being happy with playing basketball and knowing that I gave it my all. And I walked away from it whenever I choose to walk away from it. This next phase in my life is preparing me for life after basketball, but while I'm in it basketball is my everything. I never think about nothing else."
Much respect is owed and I am here to give it.
I'm not too sure how large his fan base is anymore, but I never left. I think that matters.
Go Timberwolves.
I'm here for it, D-Rose.
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