In 2008, the NBA was blessed by the basketball gods with Derrick Rose, a phenomenal athlete who existed to succeed. Within a short matter of time, the point guard became a major threat to other players competing for the title. He was determined to prove a point and so he did, by becoming the youngest MVP recipient in the history of the league. Rose played for the Chicago Bulls, a team that relied on him to bring back the success they experienced with Michael Jordan.
Unfortunately, the former MVP faced a gruesome injury that altered his career for the worse. In 2012, when the Bulls were set to make a deep playoff run, Derrick tore his ACL. Rose’s athleticism ended up becoming his worst enemy and since the injury, he has never been able to be that same player that averaged 25 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. And since 2016, after his final stint with the Bulls, he has been bounced around the league.
Between 2018 and 2020, Derrick Rose experienced a slight emergence. He began to average a decent 18 points per game during his last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also recorded 50 points during one game that had fans believe prime Rose was back. This continued for one more season with the Detroit Pistons and the injuries came pouring in once again. He was traded to the New York Knicks midway through the 2020-21 season and continued to play there for two seasons.
Derrick Rose shined during his debut with the Memphis Grizzlies
The former MVP was denied a Club Option worth $15.6 million from the Knicks for the 2023-24 season. He ended up signing with the Memphis Grizzlies. When everything seemed like it was about to end, the Grizzlies gave him a sense of hope that he was still a valuable player. He will be joining Ja Morant over the next two years. Memphis will pay him $6.5 million until 2025 after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. Fans have already showered Rose with love by painting a mural in the city.
Derrick Rose mural in Memphis.🌹🐻
(Via @Matt_Infield) pic.twitter.com/rltbECFQot
— DRoseMuse (@DerrickRoseMuse) October 8, 2023
The 2023-24 preseason games have commenced and Memphis had their opener against the Indiana Pacers. As expected, the Grizzlies closed out the game with a victory but what impressed the fans was Derrick’s performance. He scored 13 points in 14 minutes while dishing out 2 assists. Rose was applauded by his fans on social media, as they exclaimed that the MVP was back.
During the post-season interview, Derrick Rose said, “It’s still unreal. Like it still didn’t hit me yet like I’m very blessed, I’m very grateful to be here.” He added, “Having this opportunity and I’m always living that gratitude so it’s a reason why I came back.” Rose will be a great mentor for the team and it seems as if he is ready to produce winning numbers as well.