The NBA is full of players that make great characters, from Javale Mcgee to James Harden. There are storylines like Russell Westbrook’s triple-double season, Linsanity, and Golden State blowing a 3-1 lead. It’s these storylines that elevate the league into being one of the best in recent memory. It is a league for the fans but like all good stories, there are also tragedies. Stories such as Len Bias, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Isaiah Thomas’s game after the death of his sister.
Derrick Rose is a story of tragedy and lost potential. He is the biggest what-if in league history and he has touched the hearts of millions. Rose came into the league in 2008 and won Rookie of the Year while averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. He improved the following season and made his first All-Star game. But in his third season, Rose would make history.
He became the youngest player in the NBA to win league MVP. He also led the Bulls to the best record in the East with 62 wins with key players Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah injured for part of the season. Rose suffered minor injuries throughout the following season but was generally healthy. In the playoffs, he came back and in his first game back, he tore his ACL.
Rose missed all of the next season and the season after, he came back and tore his meniscus. He just had back-to-back knee injuries, severely impacting his athleticism. However, as the years went by, so did Derrick Rose. He was playing well (not like his old self though) but kept getting injured. Rose contemplated retirement in 2017 when he sprained his ankle as a Cavalier but chose not to and decided to continue playing.
In the 2018-2019 season, there was a resurgence with Derrick Rose’s play. He dropped a career-high 50 points and was averaging 18 points and 4.5 assists. Ever since then, he has been a steady player night in and night out, but does this make his case of being a future Hall of Famer?
Derrick Rose is a league MVP, 3-time All-Star, and brought the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals. But ever since he tore his ACL, he has become a shell of his former self even though he’s shown value to his team. Sadly, Derrick Rose hasn’t done enough to make the Hall of Fame. He has no major playoff victories, no Finals appearances, and only had a few great seasons in the league.
If Derrick Rose can have a renaissance and win a final, his chances would go up greatly. But that would be difficult for an aging 31-year-old veteran to do. He is one of the most beloved players in the league and his story touches everyone’s heart, but when things are put into perspective, he has not done enough to get a spot. He is a star we lost but a player we will love forever.
Chances of making it: 5%