Derrick Rose or Prime Kevin Johnson: Who Would You Choose?

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose is one of, if not the most exciting players in today's NBA.

It seems as if every game, he pulls off a few plays that make you ask yourself "Did I really witness that or am I dreaming?"   

Nope, you weren't dreaming. D-Rose is the real deal.

Rose's ability to attack the basket with reckless abandon might remind you of former Phoenix Suns point guard Kevin Johnson, also known as just "KJ."

Kevin who? That's probably the question you're asking yourself if you've only been following the NBA for the past few years or so.

But if you followed the game back in the late '80s and '90s, then you know all about the legendary Kevin Johnson, undoubtedly one of the most underrated players in league history.      

So let's say you are quite familiar with Johnson's game and you were an NBA general manager who wanted to build a team around a superstar point guard. Who would you choose between present-day Rose and KJ while in his prime?

Tough question, huh?

Both players were/are basically impossible to stop. Both have/had that lighting-quick first step allowing them to easily get to the basket.

Rose is coming off an unbelievable year in Chicago. The Chicago native led the Bulls to the NBA's top record (62-20) and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. And of course, he became the youngest player in league history to win the MVP award.    

Johnson never won any MVP awards like Rose has, but while he was at his best, he did put up MVP-type numbers.

Johnson is one of only four players in NBA history to average at least 20 points and 10 assists per game in three different seasons. The other three are Hall of Fame greats Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas.   

That's not bad company.  

So who's the better scorer between Rose and KJ? Well, Rose's 25 points per game this past season trumps Johnson's career high of 22.5 PPG, which he averaged during the 1989-90 season.  

However, Johnson very well could have matched Rose's 25 PPG or even surpassed it if he played in the league today. The "Hey, you can't touch him rules" in today's league make it a whole lot easier for players to score. 

When it comes to shooting the three-pointer, Rose is your man. After knocking down just 16 threes in each of his first two seasons in the league, Rose drilled 128 from downtown this past season.

KJ, on the other hand, was sort of like Magic Johnson when it came to shooting from behind the arc. Or in other words, he wasn't in love with the three-pointer as he attempted over 100 shots from long distance only once in his career.  

Rose is money from three-point land, but Johnson was by far the better passer. Johnson averaged at least nine assists per game in nine different seasons and dished out at least 10 APG in four straight seasons.

His career high was 12.2 APG during the 1988-89 season. That same season, he also averaged 20.4 PPG and didn't even make the All-Star team. Yeah, that's right, he didn't make the All-Star team putting up 20 and 12 while playing on a 55-win Suns team.

Oh well, let's leave that for another article.

Rose's career high average in assists is 7.7 which is nice, but definitely not Kevin Johnson-like. Rose, though, may see his assist numbers go up if he's surrounded by better scorers. 

When having a discussion about point guards whose dunks can bring fans to their feet, you may place Rose and Johnson in the same sentence.

Rose has been dunking all over the league ever since he entered the Association back in 2008. His fast break two-handed jam over former Sun Goran Dragic was nothing short than insane. And his one-handed alley-oop against Detroit should be illegal. 

Johnson posterized a few defenders during his time. He simply embarrassed future teammate John "Hot Rod" Williams during a game versus Cleveland in '92. And it's hard to forget when he slammed it home over MVP Hakeem Olajuwon during the '94 playoffs.    

When it comes to defense, Rose is solid. He isn't exactly a lock-down defender, but he's no scrub. Johnson wasn't quite Gary Payton on defense either, but was still solid on that side of the ball.    

So if you had to pick between today's Derrick Rose and late '80s/early '90s Kevin Johnson, who would it be?