Chicago Sports: Creating a modern-day Mount Rushmore
3. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls (4 votes)
When it comes to Derrick Rose‘s time with the Chicago Bulls, we will always think about what could have been. However, it is important to appreciate how dominant Rose was while he was in Chicago.
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Part of the appeal of Rose was him being a hometown kid. He was born and raised in the Chicago area starred on the court for the legendary Simeon Career Academy in high school. Rose was already a superstar in this city before even playing a minute in the NBA.
The Bulls took Rose with the first overall pick in the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Rose immediately burst onto the scene with ridiculous natural athleticism that took the league by storm. He won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season and quickly became a Chicago Sports legend.
Rose continued to dominate and then won the NBA MVP in his third season in the league. The Bulls were the best team in the east and Rose was the best player in the league. He was on top of the world.
Unfortunately, Rose suffered a devastating knee injury in the 2012 playoffs and was never the same again. He was no longer lightning quick nor did he jump out of the gym like he used to. His prime was cut short and that was a shame because Derrick Rose was one of the most fun basketball players to watch in this era.
I think Khari Thompson explained why he voted for Rose extremely well:
"Say what you want about Rose and his exit from the city (or his peculiar behavior when recovering from injury). But when he was healthy, he had Chicago fans buzzing like few others before him. And his MVP season had Bulls fans thinking that the heir apparent to Michael Jordan had finally arrived, though his knees didn’t cooperate. Still, it’s hard not to acknowledge what he meant to the city in his prime, as brief as it was."
If you want to question Rose being on this list, I get it. He does not have the longevity of success that some would need to vote him in. However, if you have any doubts, I am going to point you to his highlight reel:
Simply put, Rose was one of a kind.