Derrick Rose, a resilient and humble hero of basketball who gave hope to his city before his MVP potential career was quickly altered by injuries. As a Chicago native drafted by the Bulls, Rose was seen as the franchise’s savior because he gave fans hope that hasn’t been seen since the legendary Michael Jordan era. At the age of 22, he earned the league’s MVP award by redefining the point guard position with his insane athleticism. He earned respect from all his fans and fellow teammates.
During the 2012-13 season, Rose had a devastating ACL tear. This was the beginning of his injury plagued career and what many people call the “what if” comeback story. Fans were speechless while watching his endless talent be cut so short. Later in his career, fans shifted to widespread admiration for his resilience. Despite no longer being an MVP player, he got his rhythm back and continued to play for teams like the Knicks and Timberwolves. This proved to the league he could still play at a high level and led to an additional five to six years in the NBA.
After enduring years of career-changing injuries, Rose had an emotional statement game on October 31, 2018, when he scored a career high 50 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning the game 128-125 over the Utah Jazz. His performance brought sparks to the world as it showed his talent and perseverance making many feel a sense of shared forgiveness. This shocked the people that often belittled his skill after many years of injuries. This career-high game was even more important to Rose as he had not scored more than 35 points in a game since his MVP season back in 2011.
After the game, Rose gets interviewed while feeling very emotional. He was overcome with emotion and fighting back tears. He said, “Words can’t explain how I feel right now. It’s been a while”, showing his feeling of relief and accomplishment after all these years of injuries. “I did this for the franchise, the organization, the fans, everybody man”, said Rose, speaking out on his dedication to the support system that helped him along his journey. He also says he wouldn’t be able to play without them. Rose was asked what the game meant to him and he responded with “everything.” As this was his statement game, performing at his best, showing the fans he can still play at such a high level despite his career-changing injuries, showing his hard work and dedication, only proved that he deserved such an unforgettable and legendary franchise.
