Categories
Archives
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- July 2008
- May 2008
- March 2008
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Calendar

March 2010

M T W T F S S

« Jul

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

March 2010
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Jul
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

May

6

Chicago Bulls Season Grades: Derrick Rose

Filed Under Analysis/Commentary, NBA, Chicago Bulls

Nizoral Online Buy Propecia Lotrisone Online Buy Topamax Seroquel Online Buy Ultram Amoxil Online Buy Inderal Synthroid Online Buy Glucotrol

When the Chicago Bulls lucked into the number-one pick of the 2008 NBA Draft, there was a large debate in this city about whom the organization should select: hometown kid Derrick Rose of Memphis or scoring/rebounding machine Michael Beasley of Kansas State.

Well, the Bulls went with the kid from Chicago, and the 20-year-old rookie showed that he was the right selection, starting on opening night, easily winning the Rookie of the Year award, and leading his team to a great run in the first round of the playoffs.

With talent and humility beyond on his years, Rose played the game as a rookie like no one could have realistically expected.

He never really hit the rookie wall (maybe with the exception of a rough game at Portland around the mid-season) and got better and stronger as the season progressed.

When you compare Rose’s development at his age with what the current gold standards at the position were when they were 20 — Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz — it’s clear that Rose is head-and-shoulders better.

The future is bright for this kid, who was born to be a point guard and programmed to be a basketball star. Chicago has its first legitimate superstar since the immortal Michael Jordan. Rose should man the point in Chi-town for years to come and is the building block for everything that the Bulls do from now on.

I’m certain that this kid will be a Hall-of-Famer if he avoids injuries throughout his career. In the Bulls’ pantheon of greatness, he will never surpass Jordan, but could be ahead of Scottie Pippen when everything is said and done. At the least, he should be the third greatest player in franchise history.

Final Season Grade: A

Highlights: The durable Rookie of the Year played 81 games in the regular season, averaging a strong 37 minutes per outing. Rose averaged 16.8 points per game and led all rookies with 6.3 assists per game. Rose contributed nearly 4 rebounds a game while turning the ball over 2.5 times per game. Showed the ability to take over games with a reckless abandon for attacking the hoop.

Raised his scoring in the playoffs to just under 20 points a game. Showed the NBA world that he will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come in first game of the playoffs, scoring a record-tying 36 points in a playoff debut and most importantly leading Bulls to victory over defending champion Boston Celtics. Led his team to a Game Seven in first season. His block of Rajon Rondo to win Game Six shows a player who may not be a great defensive player at this point in his career but has that rare quality known as competitive greatness.

The Moment He Convinced Me: I believe it was the third or fourth game of the season for Chicago. While making a late fourth-quarter comeback against the Orlando Magic, Rose caught a pass on the baseline and exploded for a two-hand jam. Had absolutely no fear with shot-blocking menace Dwight Howard in the paint. The Bulls ended up losing that game, but that was beyond the point after seeing Rose demonstrate his athleticism, fear of no one and beyond-his-years talent.

What Surprised Me: His ability, for the most part, to never get rattled, especially for a rookie. While he had some moments in the playoffs where he went quiet for extended periods, Rose was brilliantly consistent throughout the regular season, a rarity for any rookie. A very heady player who showed early in the year that he was a better three-point shooter than expected, Rose is one of the few players in the game who doesn’t rely on the three-ball but is at his best with the mid-range game and attacking the back. A crafty scorer around the hoop, with a beautiful floater. A relentless slasher, Rose rarely looked intimidated when going to the paint. And then there’s his killer instinct. There were points in the season when Rose decided that he wasn’t going to miss, especially when it came to his jumper, and he solely willed the Bulls to several wins. 20-year-old kids just don’t do this in the NBA.

Things to Work On: Being more assertive with teammates, becoming a better leader, improving against the pick-and-roll on defense, for which he was a liability. Rose has strides to make on defense, but few, if any, young players come into the league and know how to play D against this caliber of talent. As Rose is a kid who works hard and strives to improve on all areas of the game, he will become a better defender in time through more practice and game experience. In terms of his jumper, Rose lacks enough lift some time and can continue to become a better shooter.

Final Thoughts: What did the Bulls do to deserve this kid? It’s kind of unfair — the 2007-2008 Bulls were a bunch of underachievers who got away from playing the game the right way, and the Bulls were rewarded by winning the draft lottery and getting Rose. I’m not complaining. Like Jordan, Rose is a born winner.

Chicago fans will be thanking the stars for years to come that Rose somehow ended up here. In a day-and-age where a lot of players are all about me, me, and me, Rose is the rare superstar with unbelievable talent and humility, which is a credit to how he was raised by his mother and older brothers.

I end up pinching myself thinking about how much better Rose will be in Year Two as opposed to Year One, and how dominant he will be in Year Three. Ladies and gentleman, we may be looking at the best point guard in the league over the next 15 years. And that’s saying something when you look at what Paul and Williams already are.

Chicago will be relevant for years to come, all because of one player, it’s #1: Derrick Rose.