After being in the news this summer for different reasons, from his reaction to finding out he was traded by the Chicago Bulls to referring to his new team, the New York Knicks, as a “super team” just like the Golden State Warriors, Derrick Rose has certainly raised a lot of eyebrows and got roasted on the internet, especially on social media.
After all that's been said and done, a former Knick and arguably one of the best who ever played for the franchise, comes to the defense of the 2011 MVP.
In an interview with Christian Red of The New York Daily News, Hall of Famer Willis Reed had this to say about Rose:
“The one thing I can tell you about Derrick Rose — he’s a winner. If he can play 75% of the games, stay healthy, you’ve got a player, that guard position had to get upgraded. And they needed a big guy in the middle that knows a little more, who has played the game. I think (Jackson) has done that.”
Believers may be hard to come by these days for the 27-year-old, three-time All-Star, but having one, with no less than Reed, who is the only player in franchise history to win an MVP award, certainly makes up for the scarcity of it.
Willis Reed is the greatest winner in Knicks history. He won two championships, in 1970 and 1973, where he was also named Finals MVP on both occasions. Not only was he inducted in the Hall of Fame for his spectacular professional career, but was also included in its college version. His famous jersey, with number 19 on it, was retired by the franchise.
This belief on him by the former 8th pick of the second round in the 1964 draft may be the reason why Rose has not lacked the confidence recently.
The current Knicks roster have not proven anything yet, and their “Big Four” will be playing for the first time together this year. But if they show cohesiveness along with a bunch of early wins, they might convert their skeptics to fans.
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