Why Derrick Rose Is Favored To Repeat as NBA MVP in 2011-12

The Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose shocked the NBA world last season, rising to superstardom and becoming the league's Most Valuable Player in 2010-11. 

Rose improved his scoring total from 20.8 points per game to 25; the 23-year-old also increased his assists per game from 6.0 to 7.7. Name a metric or aspect of his game and Rose likely improved it. 

The question leading into the start of the regular season on Christmas Day becomes: Can Rose maintain his spot atop the NBA world and repeat as NBA MVP? 

In my opinion, yes he can. In fact, I think Rose is the MVP favorite going into 2011-12 and here are a few reasons why. 

Rose Will Still Need To Be One of the Bulls' Top Scorers

Despite the addition of Richard Hamilton and arguably the deepest bench in the NBA, Rose will still be relied upon as the Bulls' primary scorer. 

I expect his scoring to take a slight dip with Hamilton replacing Keith Bogans in the starting lineup, but there is no denying that Rose will be the Chicago Bulls' leading scorer. 

Last year Rose was seventh in the league in scoring at 25 points per game, and even with a drop of a few points per game (to an average of 23 to 25), he will remain in the top 10.

That is elite-level scoring production for such a well-rounded player like Rose. 

Rose Will See an Increase in Assists

Rose's scoring may take a slight hit with the addition of Hamilton to the Chicago Bulls' starting lineup, but his assist numbers are sure to rise. 

Add in the fact that the Bulls have any number of players on the floor who can score, and I can see Rose's assist totals skyrocketing this year. 

In 2010-11, Rose finished 10th in the league with 7.7 assists per game. I see no reason why Rose can't increase to, at the very least, 8.2 to 8.5 assists per game, putting him in the league's top five. 

There was not a single player in the NBA, outside of Rose, who finished in the top 10 in both points per game and assists per game last season. 

I fully expect Rose to repeat that feat this season. That type of production is the hallmark of an MVP. 

Rose Will Continue To Improve

Chicago Bulls fans know how committed Rose is to his craft. Every year of his career Rose seemingly has added another facet to his game. 

Last season, Rose became a proficient and effective outside shooter in addition to making huge strides defensively.

For this coming season, Rose himself attested to improvements in his post game, his isolation game and a hopeful increase in his relatively low 6.9 free-throw attempts per game.

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"I worked on my post-up game, my isolation game, working at the elbows, trying to get fouled and get into the lane and put pressure on the defense."

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Rose may be happy with the MVP award and the NBA's best record last season, but he cannot be happy with the way the season ended at the hands of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. 

The idea that Rose will rest on his laurels and be content with his game as currently constructed does not cross my mind. 

The Chicago Bulls Will Be in the Championship Hunt

Of course one of the biggest reasons Rose will be an MVP favorite in 2011-12 is because of his team.

The Chicago Bulls will be a championship contender all year and very well may contend for the league's best record (a distinction they held last season). 

This season's Bulls team boasts a restocked starting lineup rejuvenated by the acquisition of Hamilton, the hopeful health of frontcourt mates Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer and the NBA's deepest bench.

All signs point to another great season on Chicago's west side. 

The MVP award typically goes to a player whose team not only makes the playoffs but is also one of the elite teams in basketball. The Bulls will be in that elite category and without a doubt one of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference.

Rose Has Little MVP Competition on His Own Team

This is both a gift and a curse.

Rose is seemingly on an island of his own as many of the other top stars in today's NBA are either on star-crossed teams like the Miami Heat or New York Knicks, or have a clearly defined "No. 2."

Rose is the undisputed leader of the Chicago Bulls and very clearly their best player. 

A player like Miami's LeBron James will have a difficult time winning the MVP since he'll likely split votes with teammate Dwyane Wade.

Another example is Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, who has another 20+ points-per-game scorer in his lineup. This changes the perception of how valuable these players are to their respective teams. 

It may be clear that James and Durant are their team's best players; however when voters see other elite-level production on your team, it's harder to justify saying you are the "most valuable."

Would Oklahoma City be anything without Durant?

Most likely not—they'd likely be a below-average team. Still, with Russell Westbrook at the helm they could at least tread water. 

Take Derrick Rose off the Chicago Bulls? They likely would be a terrible team. 

Rose is the most valuable asset to any NBA team. Most every top team in the NBA could sustain the loss of their best player and not completely fall on their face.

The Bulls would be dead to rights without the contributions of Rose. 

His improvement and rise to superstardom last year turned the Bulls from perennial playoff team to NBA title contender. 

That alone makes Rose an MVP favorite going into 2011-12. As Rose goes, so go the Bulls.