Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon has known Detroit Pistons star Derrick Rose for a while.
Rose and Gordon were AAU teammates and formed a lethal dynamic duo during the summer before their senior year of high school.
Gordon always knew Rose was destined for great things and isn't surprised the former MVP is still playing at a high level despite all the injuries he's been through during his NBA career:
“Derrick made the best of it. I mean, he was the MVP,” Gordon told NBA.com. “The injuries … that happens. It’s a part of it. You can’t do anything about it. But look at what he’s come back from to play at a high level now. I can’t say I’m surprised because I know how talented he’s always been and how hard he works. He works like crazy and he just loves the game.”
In 45 games for the Pistons this season, Rose is averaging 18.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He’s shooting 49.0 percent from the field, 30.6 percent from beyond the arc and 85.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Rose wasn’t named an All-Star despite the game being in Chicago and the fact that he’s putting up All-Star-caliber numbers for Detroit. The Chicago native also dropped out of the Skills Challenge to rest his hip injury.
Now 31, Rose has career averages of 18.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 591 games with the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Pistons. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Bulls in 2008, won Rookie of the Year in 2009 and became the youngest MVP in NBA history during the 2010-11 season.
Rose and the Pistons are only 19-38 on the season. Detroit is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings.
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