Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose's Lucrative Adidas Contract a Sign of Things to Come

When Derrick Rose led the Chicago Bulls to a 62-20 record and No. 1 seed in the playoffs last season, picking up the MVP award along the way, it was a sign of things to come for the rising star on the court.

Now he's making his mark off it.

According to Andy Macaluso of WeAllScheme.com, via ESPN, Rose is now closing in on a lucrative, multiyear deal with Adidas:

Tweeted Macaluso:

"Now that Rose has established himself as one of the NBA's premier players, he can now get down to making boatloads of money while marketing products, much like the man he is supposed to succeed in Chicago, Michael Jordan."

So far this season, Rose is averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 assists while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 90 percent from the free-throw line. He has the Bulls off to a 2-1 start after dropping 19 points and eight assists on the Sacramento Kings in Thursday's win.

Beyond being a great basketball player, Rose also has the personality to be a marketing icon. He has no character concerns to speak of, is adored by his teammates and has already gained respect among NBA veterans at just 23 years of age.

Rose has handled the pressure to lead the Bulls to a title in Chicago with remarkable poise for a young player.

Last season, without a threat at shooting guard alongside him, Rose did everything he could to boost the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals before the Bulls were ousted from the playoffs by the Miami Heat. It's safe to say Rose had the entire city of Chicago on his shoulders in those playoffs.

Rose is not only highly marketable given his accomplishments on the basketball court, there's little chance he's going to do something stupid off the court that would taint the brand's name, as we've seen from several stars in the past.

This is only the beginning for Rose. He's going to be getting plenty of endorsement deals in the near future.