Derrick Rose: The Best Point Guard in the NBA Right Now

If you were to ask most NBA fans, or even the so called "experts" the question of who is the best point guard in the league right now, you would overwhelmingly get one of two answers:  Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz or Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets.  

Over the last few years, as Steve Nash, Chauncey Billups, and Jason Kidd have all entered a declining stage in their great careers, it has left Williams and Paul as the league's reigning torch bearers at the point.  The only real question has been... Williams or Paul?  

Even in the 24/7 world of professional sports that we live in today, perception can still very often trail reality.  Right now, there's not a point guard in the league playing at a higher level than Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.  

He's better than Paul.  He's better than Williams.  And he just might be the league's most valuable player by the end of this year.  

Why Derrick Rose is the best point guard in basketball

It's my opinion that Rose was truly reaching elite status in the second half of last year's season.  He got off to a slow start in '09-'10 due to an ankle injury suffered in the preseason, but still was named to his first All-Star game.  After the all-star break, Rose was fantastic, averaging 22.9 points and 6.5 assists per game, and shooting a spectacular 52.4% from the field (compared to 19.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, 47.1 FG% before the break).  He continued this torrid pace into the playoffs, where he averaged 26.8 PPG and 7.2 APG in the first round series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  

Rose has been nothing short of sensational this season.  He ranks third in the league in scoring at 25.7 points per game and is dishing out 8.1 assists per contest.  Although the season is young, these numbers are not only remarkable, they could be historic.  Only one other point guard in the last 37 years has averaged over 25 points and 8 assists per game (Michael Adams, 26.5 PPG, 10.5 APG in 1990-1991).

Although he's been called one of the most humble and quiet superstars in the league, Rose has emerged as the unquestioned leader of the Bulls.  He just recently led the team on its first winning circus road trip since the 1997-1998 season, averaging 30.5 points, 6.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game, while the team went 4-3. 

Beyond just statistics, Derrick Rose may also be the most exciting player in the league to watch.  His athleticism is off the charts, and at 6'3", his combination of speed and power is unmatched.  Only LeBron James is as gifted overall from a purely athletic standpoint.  Next time you watch a Bulls game, pay attention to how fast the camera is moving from side to side as Rose flies through defenders down the court.  It's as if everybody else is in slow motion.  

Rose continually makes the spectacular look routine, and he is good for at least three to four jaw-dropping plays every single game.  He attacks the rim so fiercely, many Bulls fans have quietly worried about his body holding up over the course of many years of bruising hits and falls to the floor.  

The Point Guard Test

In my mind, what recently cemented Rose's status as the best point guard playing today, was asking myself the following question:  If I had one possession and my life depended on it, and I had one point guard to either score, make a play, or get to the free throw line, assuming everybody had equal teammates, who would it be?  

If you had asked me this question two years ago, my answer would have been Chris Paul.  If you asked me this last year, my answer would have been Deron Williams.  

Right now, my answer is resoundingly Rose, and I would bet many league GMs would agree.  He can beat you in so many different ways and can do things athletically that Williams or Paul could only dream of.  When his team needs a big bucket, Rose can deliver it in so many different ways.  

Improved Shooting

One of the most widely criticized parts of Rose's game has been his shot.  However, most people that cite this as a major flaw clearly have not consistently watched him play since his rookie year or even college.  His shot has significantly improved and is continuing to improve every day.  He knocks down medium range jump shots with increasing consistency and has improved dramatically from the 3-point line as well.  Rose is shooting at a 36% clip from downtown this season and has already made 25 threes this year, which is nine more than he made during the entire previous season.   

As his shot improves, it's not an exaggeration to say he will be nearly impossible to guard.  Up to this point, defenders have still chosen to give him the open look simply because of how lethal his ability to drive to the hoop is in comparison.  

His improved confidence in his long range shot was never more evident than during Saturday night's thriller with Houston, in which Rose put in a three at the buzzer to force overtime and eventually would lead the Bulls to a 119-116 victory.  

Still getting better

For any skeptics that shudder at the thought of Rose or anybody but Williams or Paul being the best point guard in the league right now, get used to this idea.  In the next couple of years, Rose is going to separate himself even further from the pack.  At 22 years old, he has only scratched the surface of what he is capable of.  As his shooting, leadership skills, and basketball IQ continue to develop, and with Carlos Boozer now added to his supporting cast, it's almost unimaginable to think of his ceiling.  

So many players come into the NBA and give us glimpses of being special talents, but don't live up to those expectations for a long period of time.  I think of Penny Hardaway or Vince Carter as examples of players that had all the physical gifts in the world, but never really "got it", so to speak.    

It's refreshing to see a young talent like Rose that doesn't seem to have any character issues to speak of.  He will never be accused of having any lack of desire or effort.  He competes as hard as anybody in the league.  He plays with a tenacity that actually reminds me a lot of Chris Paul.  

For all these reasons, when the experts are asked again in the very near future about who is the best point guard in the league, there will be a new name in the mix.  And eventually there will only be one name:  Derrick Rose.  

The best point guard in the NBA right now.