Few NBA players took the national spotlight quicker than guard Derrick Rose, who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies. Although he might not be asked to contribute much to Memphis this season, Rose was once one of the brightest stars in the NBA, electrifying national audiences with his combination of speed, athleticism, and scoring prowess that was then extremely rare for a point guard.
Recently, Philadelphia 76ers guard Danny Green stopped by Tidal League's Run Your Race podcast to discuss Rose's legacy and how he compares to modern NBA stars, including now Grizzlies teammate Ja Morant.
“People like to compare Ja and D Rose, or certain people to D Rose, but there is nobody like that m—–f—– right there when he was in his prime,” said Green. “He had [Carlos Boozer] setting screens, Joakim [Noah] setting screens, these big guys, and he's running around off these screens, and he's little, then the next thing you know, he's jumping up with the trees, he's at the top of the square.”
Few players in NBA history can match the sheer athleticism displayed by Derrick Rose when he was in his prime with the Bulls. In 2010-11, Rose became (and still is) the youngest player to ever win the NBA MVP award, taking it home in just his third season.
Eventually, a series of knee injuries would keep Rose from reaching the superstar heights he once occupied; however, NBA fans won't soon forget the magic that was watching Rose play during his prime in the late 2000s and early 2010s.