Chicago Bulls: 5 most polarizing figures of the 2010’s

1. Point Guard Derrick Rose

By far and away, the most polarizing Bulls player of the last decade was Derrick Rose. Becoming the youngest MVP in league history, Rose’s career began with a boom. He was off and running as one of the top players in the game with a ceiling so high, most didn’t realize what he was capable of becoming.

Then, the injuries set in. After tearing his ACL in a first-round game against the Sixers back in 2012, Rose was never quite the same. A plethora of injuries wouldn’t let go of him over the next few years, and Rose missed a total of 187 games over three years following the original ACL tear.

Quite frankly, fans got sick of waiting and hoping. It was difficult not knowing whether or not Rose would ever truly return and play a mostly-healthy season. There were times where Rose was cleared to play, medically, yet didn’t suit up. It seemed like a mental struggle more than anything else, and fans were tired of it.

The Bulls traded Rose in 2016, and after playing with the Knicks, Cavaliers and Timberwolves over the last few seasons, he has found a new home with the Detroit Pistons this season.

Speaking of this season, Rose is putting up some gaudy numbers with the Pistons — in fact, they are even better than his numbers during his MVP season (per-36 minutes). Rose has made his case for the league’s best sixth man, and Bulls fans should be proud. Rose will always be a Bull. He’ll always represent Chicago. Polarizing? Sure. But, Rose is a Chicago Bull through and through.