Derrick Rose: 'I'm a Hall of Famer' in Friends' Eyes; 'I Made It; I Executed'
Derrick Rose might not make the Basketball Hall of Fame, but he explained Friday on The Stephen A. Smith Show that he's lived up to the lofty expectations he had growing up:
"Imagine being 12 or 13 and everywhere you go, people are putting their burdens on you, like, 'You're gonna be the man to make it,'" Rose explained.
The guard was a highly regarded prospect out of Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, and he went on to be the No. 1 pick of the 2008 NBA draft before winning the 2009 Rookie of the Year award and 2011 NBA MVP. He earned his third All-Star selection in 2011-12, but his career was then derailed by a torn ACL and continued knee problems over the next few years.
Basketball Reference gives Rose just a 10.5 percent chance of being a Hall of Famer, making him one of the bigger "What if?" projections of his generation. Still, an impressive career that has lasted more than a decade in the NBA is more than many highly touted prospects have replicated.
As anyone who saw Hoop Dreams can tell you, not every high school star in Chicago is bound for the NBA.
Rose is at least coming off a bounce-back season, averaging 18 points per game with the Timberwolves after an up-and-down few years with the Knicks and Cavaliers. He signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Detroit Pistons this offseason for what will be the fifth organization of his career.
The 30-year-old has high hopes for his new team as he tries to win his first career title:
"We have two great bigs, a great team," Rose said. "You never know."
