Derrick Rose Needs To Become a More Vocal Leader for the Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose said that he has greatly developed his three-point shot.

And I'll take his word for it. 

Besides, Rose is not one who likes to brag about himself. He's a very humble guy, and for a young star, I can greatly respect that. 

Put a camera in his face, and he'll mumble his words, avoiding any discussion about himself without mentioning his teammates. 

Despite what most see on the court, Rose is very soft-spoken.

For the Bulls to fully be a team to beat, Rose will have to break out of his shell this season. 

By not landing LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, the Bulls had the option to build around Rose. And frankly, that seemed like the best path. 

The Bulls had the No. 1 draft pick (out of sheer luck), and they used it wisely instead of drafting Michael Beasley.

Rose nabbed Rookie of the Year, averaging 16.8 points per game, 6.3 assists per game and 3.9 rebounds per game.

He didn't even succumb to the sophomore slump, which many feared. 

The kid is only 21 and in his second season. People got a double dose of his potential in the past two playoffs as he sliced and diced to the basket. At 21, his offensive numbers improved, as he averaged 20.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. 

He's got the athleticism, explosiveness, speed, and high hops for a 6 3" guard. Throw in a deadly jump shot (which he still has to prove), then you have yourself a very talented player. 

Now, throw in some vocal cords and a little LeBron-ego, and you have yourself a team leader. I'm not talking about the "leader by example" type. 

There was a reason why people called Kirk Hinrich "Captain Kirk." Though underrated, he was the glue guy and was the voice for the team on and off the court. 

With Hinrich traded to the Wizards, Rose needs to step up to the role left by Hinrich. 

As the floor leader, ball handler, and young All-Star of the Bulls, Rose needs to take on the responsibility of controlling the mood of the team. When the team is down, on a good offensive run, or battling a tight comeback, Rose needs to be that guy who pumps confidence into the team. He needs to be the peppy Kevin Garnett on the bench and the leader who speaks confidence and words of wisdom to his teammates. 

Rose wasn't exactly that guy in his last two seasons, but he needs to be. 

He needs to have that confidence in himself and give reason why his teammates and opponents should respect him even more. 

Luol Deng was voted team captain in previous seasons, but he's shown inconsistency after injury-comebacks and continues to be subject to trade rumors. 

Rose could take some lessons from Joakim Noah and Noah's love for the limelight. Noah has the ability to fire up his teammates and even get in the head of LeBron (recall their feud about James's victory dances). 

Carlos Boozer might be voted team captain because he's a veteran.

But it's mostly a given for your star player to be the team captain. 

Rose must be the one giving guys the slaps on the butt, not just receiving them. He must be the guy calling the plays and resetting the offense if it's a mess. The same goes for defensive calls. 

He should also be more comfortable in interviews and at least pretend like he enjoys them. Why? Because he has to get used to being in the spotlight while maintaining focus on his game (and it also makes people's jobs, like mine, easier). 

Communication is key to winning. It builds trust and brings a positive vibe in the locker rooms, and it shows on the courts. 

All that trust starts with Rose. 

When the game winds down, the Bulls need to know they can trust Rose to take control, not be pushed around like he just came out of high school. 

There's the "screw it, I'm taking over" mentality by Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, who displayed it especially in the Olympics. 

Then, there's James's "give-up" attitude (while some might argue otherwise, James didn't show up in his final 2010 playoff series against the Celtics). 

The competition in the Eastern Conference has heated up, especially with the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks rising from the south. 

I don't want to hear it from Jerry Reinsdorf that the Bulls are a better team than Miami. 

Let's hear it from Rose. Then that would strike some fear in the league.