Derrick Rose: Envy Me

The others fell as Derrick Rose.

By TIM DAVID HARVEY

Nothing is stronger than the passion of the Rose. Last year Derrick bloomed brighter than anybody in the league. You can knock all that "Who's the best point guard in the L right now?" off. Sure the Deron Williams/Chris Paul debate will rage even for years after they unlace and unstrap their ankles, and sure in this new generation Rajon Rondo is the truer, purer point.

Still, as of right now nobody in the league is better then Derrick Rose. Not Kobe, not LeBron, nobody. Sure tomorrow is a different, new "end of the lockout/preparation for the new season" day, and yesterday may have told a different story. But right now the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player wears a Chicago Bulls jersey that doesn't carry the No. 3, or the No. 2.

Instead this remainder is No. 1 in more ways than his jersey number. Point proven? Right now D-Rose is better then everybody in the league. After all, that's what the award's for.

MOST

This Rose may not have grown from the concrete of a playground like other PG legends, but you better believe you are watching a lasting legacy bloom in this league. Sure talent-wise Rose is only a thorn in the sides of Bryant and James, but still who had the better year last season?

OK, unquestionable Rookie of the Year, Blake Griffin may have garnered more eyes, wows, league passes and replays, but don't say that Derrick's breakaway plays and two-handed flushes aren't entertaining. Just ask Boston.

Talking green, their guard Rajon Rondo may possess more basketball quarterback skills, but Derrick's gridiron play more then makes up for this, plus D's got the buckets of water wet jumpers that Rondo often can't find in the drought.

Sure Rajon's Celtics, James' Heat and the Lakers to the real-league Mavericks in the West effect things championship-wise for the stampeding Chicago Bulls. But don't be surprised if this grown team ends up making the competition look like matadors with Derrick leading the charge seeing red and championship gold. You can almost here another Chicago legend from another game, Kanye West, exclaiming, "Can we get much higher?"

VALUABLE

Regular season stats of 25.1 points per game, 4.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists to go with 1.1 steals, and even higher playoff averages, are incredible for any player (let alone a point guard). But know this, Derrick's worth is more then numbers. So over the years and lack of champagne tears these "Baby Bulls" have had some teething problems, but they are all grown now. A taste of Eddy Curry and the Ron Artest and Jalen Rose eras birthed potential, but now Chi-town has planted the one Rose that refuses to let this franchise wilt.

The Jordan years are over no matter how much this franchise or this league misses the G.O.A.T. But still these Bulls have a new animal now—a lionhearted, shy cat, courageous but humble. A point guard wizard outside of Washington (with all due respect to the one that outruns cheetahs), who leaves opponents looking like scarecrows and tin men, taking his team up the NBA's yellow brick road.

There's no place like Chicago. There's nobody like Rose. The Windy City's first MVP and real franchise guy since Jordan is putting the air back into the United Centre building.

It could be a banner year for the ballclub. Now nobody can doubt his worth.

PLAYER

Luol Deng may have been the catalyst, top scorer and Chicago's player of the future, and Joakim Noah brought his enthusiasm and cut down nets of championship college experience to be the most passionate player in the league. While last summer Carlos Boozer was the top free agent (Rasheed Wallace to Detroit Pistons-esque) and team-completing steal, everything starts, ends and goes through Derrick Rose.

With all overdue respect to these other top-tier talents, this franchise leader is Derrick. He's more than the glue of this team—he's the sealant. Word is bond.

When the best all-around player in the league, Kobe Bryant, was named MVP a couple of 82s back, rapper Lil' Wayne honored him in a song, and just like the Lakers mamba, Chicago's Rose never "takes a day or a J off"... or even a play off for that matter, guiding the league's most diversely talented and underrated team to the big leagues.

From music artists to movie stars, Rose is gaining an entourage of high-profile fans. Just check actor and basketball aficionado Jeremy Piven's tweet from when Derrick was named league MVP last season: "A Rose by any other name is NOT MVP! Go my brother, now take flight..." All sorts of ballers love this b-baller, and from the rap sheets to the broadsheets this one-time publicity shy guy is the headline.

Check any magazine or front to back cover of Adidas advertisements Derrick is in. Book-ending the fact that right now—from the fans to the competition—Derrick Rose owns everything. He's the NBA's most high and valuable commodity—a point guard of past, current and the next generation to come. One hell of a player—the youngest MVP in NBA history is about to be one of the greatest.