Opinion: Derrick Rose made peace with 'what-ifs' during injury-riddled MVP career
Derrick Rose sat courtside inside the Bulls’ practice facility – then located in suburban Chicago – and discussed his knee injury. It was February 2013, and Rose was in the middle of grueling rehab on his left knee after surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained during the 2012 playoffs.
“I don't know what type of player I'm going to be,” Rose told USA TODAY Sports then. “I just know that I'm going to be very good.”
Rose was good again in stretches but never great again – and Rose, who announced his retirement from pro basketball on Thursday, was great in his first four seasons.
His ascent into NBA stardom was rapid, joyful, entertaining and rare: Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, All-Star in 2009-10 and MVP, first-team All-NBA and All-Star in 2010-11. In that MVP season, Rose, just 22, averaged 25 points, 7.9 assists 3.4 rebounds and shot 43.5% from the field, leading the Bulls to a 62-20 record. He remains the youngest player to win MVP.
Nearly 18 months after that torn ACL and 10 games into the 2013-14 season, Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee, requiring another surgery which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Rose, who turns 36 Oct. 4, returned in 2014-15 and had solid seasons with Chicago, the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves but he was never the same player.
It was a 16-year career marked by flashes of brilliance but also devastating knee injuries that robbed him of realizing his full potential as an NBA star.
What was truncated by what-ifs.
Rose bounced from team to team following his time with the Bulls and played for Memphis last season, appearing in 24 games.
He was explosive, tough to defend with his speed and strength, finished at the rim and had a mid-range jump shot. For his career, he averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds and shot 45.6% from the field.
It’s easy to wonder what a career without injuries – or without as many – would’ve looked like for Rose. It was a Hall of Fame start, but he likely will be the only player to win NBA MVP but not make the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Rose, who was the No. 1 pick by his hometown Bulls, did his best to eliminate those what-ifs. He maintained a positive attitude, always believing in himself no matter the circumstance. If he had a woe is me attitude, he hid it well.
In his retirement announcement, Rose showed injuries did not ruin his love for a game that gave and took so much.
In a love letter to basketball, Rose wrote, "Thank you, my first love … You believed in me through the highs and lows, my constant when everything else seemed uncertain. You showed me what love truly meant. You turned the court into my sanctuary, a home where I could express myself freely. You made every early morning and late night we spent together worth every drop of sweat. You reminded me that I could always rely on you, that in every moment of doubt, you would show me what I'm capable of.
“You introduced me to new places and cultures that a kid from Chicago could have never imagined. You taught me that every loss was a lesson and every win was a reason to be grateful. You offered wisdom that was not just about the game, but about life, discipline, hard work, perseverance. You showed me that passion is something to cherish, ensuring that I pour my heart into every dribble, every shot, every play. You stood by me even when the world seemed against me, unconditionally, waiting for me to pick you up. You gave me a gift, our time together, one that I will cherish for the rest of my days. You told me it's okay to say goodbye, reassuring me that you'll always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me.”
Derrick Rose, at peace with what was, what could've been and what is.
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt