Ranking All 6 #TheReturn Videos for Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Adidas Basketball have formed a powerful partnership. Born from their partnership were the #TheReturn Videos. Adidas has created a series of mini-documentaries that has detailed Rose’s rehab from a torn ACL injury.

Adidas offered exclusive access to Rose’s workouts. If you were wondering what type of workout is required to repair ligament damage, Rose shows us. From the weights that he has to lift to the running and planting, it is all rigorous. We can see the pain on his face. His road back has been a difficult one.   

Fans were not only able to view highlights of his rehab, but each video introduced the intimate side of Rose.

Rose rarely speaks. When he does speak, his words are sincere and carefully chosen. Hearing Rose speak during #TheReturn, you get a sense of his vulnerability and his determination to get better.

After viewing the #TheReturn compilation several times, the videos became better. They are great videos, but I saw something new each time I watched them.

Ranking each video was tough but I will start here…

 

Each video was taken from the AdidasBasketball page on YouTube.com

6. Episode 2: The Hope

Episode #2, shows the beginning stages of Rose’s comeback. His regret for not being able to help the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs was evident. You can hear his heartache in every word he spoke.  

Rose also took time to reflect on a lost season regarding his health. Fueled by the desire to win an NBA Championship, he attacked his rehab with a purpose.

The cool factor in the video is when a fan tells Rose that he patterns his game around him (Rose).

5. Episode 4: Push

Rose talks about returning to Chicago. That desire is the primary focus of Episode #4. You witness him with his family and friends, attempting to enjoy life.

Rose also talks about running for the first time. It is encouraging to see him on the stationary bike, jumping rope and using the treadmill. His threshold for pain is high, as he winces when he stretches.

It is all “for the city of Chicago”, Rose suggests in a clip of him attending Bulls’ media day. For one day, Bulls fans were offered a glimmer of hope.

The return of Derrick Rose seemed closer than fans could have ever imagined.   

4. Episode 5: Drive

The city of Chicago provides the background for much of this video. As a Chicagoan, it is great to see one of the city’s worse neighborhoods, Englewood, in a positive light. During scenes of a few homes, Rose discusses his own surviving.

It is easy to get lost in Rose’s words. He explains how basketball is his refuge. Basketball is what has put him in the position to care for his family.

He is grateful for the opportunity to play in the NBA.

This video gives us that rare look inside a player’s mind. Rose is determined to return and lead the Bulls to an NBA Championship. Episode #5 helps you understand what makes him tick.

3. Episode 3: Focus

Rose admits that he began playing basketball ever since he was three or four. In a refreshing moment, he also admits that he “saw what hard work can do for someone’s life”.  

The rehab demands appear challenging, but he continues to keep pushing forward.

It is the first time he can remember not playing basketball and it is clearly testing his patience. Not only did he miss out on playing in the playoffs, but he also missed playing in the 2012 Olympics.

He wants to get back on the basketball court as soon as possible. Near the end of Episode #3, he reminds us that his comeback may take some time. The good thing is that there seems to be no setbacks in his rehab; he just has to maintain his focus.

2. Episode 6: All in

“I would die on that court,” Derrick Rose states in the final installment of #TheReturn. 

The video shows a happier Rose. He is at peace with what has happened to him. This is great because in order for him to move forward in the rehabilitation process, he had to embrace his circumstances. A torn ACL is an injury that can alter the career of any athlete, but Rose looks fantastic in this video. He looks as if he is back to full strength.  

The road has been long and tiresome for him. In Episode #6, the road has come to the end.

In the final clip of Episode #6, fans get to see a photograph of his newborn son, Derrick Jr. It is yet another vulnerable moment for the Bulls’ superstar.

1. Episode 1: Belief

Episode #1 started it all and it is the best video of the mini-documentary.

You have to consider the originality. Never before has a shoe company chronicled the rehabilitation process of a professional athlete. Because of its success, this will not be the last time it happens. What helps is the fact that Rose is a well-respected superstar. Fans want him to have success on the basketball court.

Rose opens up about his injury. The most moving part was when he was hoping for optimistic MRI results. He was injured for most of the season. The last thing he wanted was to be out for an extended period.

Rose had one of the most honest admissions from an athlete. He mentioned crying.

After already being one of the most respected players in the NBA, Rose’s honesty spoke volumes.