Catching Up with Derrick Rose as He Introduces His New Kicks

I, along with other members of the media, was given the opportunity to speak with Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose at a Foot Locker in Chicago last weekend.

The NBA's 2011 MVP was celebrating the launch of his new Adidas shoe, the “adiZero Rose 2” (a pretty cool-looking shoe by the way).  

There were three quick media sessions and I got in for the third. I asked Rose, “How long have you worn Adidas?"

"College," Rose said smiling. "That was my first time ever putting on an Adidas shoe." 

During his stellar one-and-done season at the University of Memphis, D-Rose sported the blue-and-white-colored Adidas TS Pro Model. 

Rose wore the adiZero Rose 1.5 last season , and he seemed a bit more thrilled with his new shoe than the previous one.

“Last year’s shoe was alright to me," he said.

"It was nice, but this one is really just my decision on what the shoe should look like because the shoe, when they first came up with it, it didn’t look anything like this. The sides were different, they were high-tops. Then, they just came up with the whole idea of being short, low-top and I just wanted to be able to move. They’re kind of light, they’re the lightest signature shoe out there.

I sit there almost every time I’m meeting with them and they ask me a million questions, and they just come up with ideas. There’s been times when I told them I didn’t like the shoe—I didn’t like certain things on the shoe—and they changed it when I asked them to.”

Rose was asked if there was a particular shoe in his life that meant something to him.

He answered, "I was a Jordan fanatic. I think Jordan shoes, period. It means a lot knowing he has a great legacy behind his shoes and hopefully I can do that one day."  

That answer certainly wasn't surprising at all. Most people, including me, consider Jordans to be the greatest shoe of all time. 

Rose has worn several Adidas shoes since arriving in the NBA three years ago. The top pick in the 2008 draft has rocked the TS Lightning Creator, TS Cut Creator and the TS Supernatural Creator, among others. He even wore the Adidas adiZero Rose “USA” kicks for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

However, the new adiZero Rose 2 just might be his finest shoe yet.

During the 2011-12 season, (whenever that begins) Rose will look to win his second consecutive MVP award and lead Chicago to a title wearing the cool adiZero Rose 2 on his feet.