Chicago Bulls fans are torn; some even tearing up their Derrick Rose jerseys and setting them on fire after hearing that our first round pick in 2008 and 2011 MVP is now headed to the Knicks to serve as their point guard.
To many who roam the streets of Illinois, downtown Chicago especially, their hearts are broken. They’re confused and unsure of the future.
But to me, as I sit here typing away and watching the 2016 NBA draft, I’m not confused nor am I hurt.
When Rose pulled the red “windy city” jersey over his head for the first time in 2008, we had nothing but high hopes. He was the start of a new legacy; one with nothing but predicted playoff runs and crushing records.
At times, we felt as if he did just that. His 2011 MVP moment was one of them, but the rest told us otherwise.
Losing Derrick Rose to many is heartbreaking. For me, however, it’s letting go of someone who didn’t stand to his word.
Many saw it coming. Time and time again, he called himself one of the greatest. His return videos after each injury were insightful and inspirational and yes, no one asked to be injured, but he wasn’t the player this team was looking for. Cheating on his entrance exam should have told us that, but it didn’t. He won’t have to pay the price, but we had to in Chicago.
He wasn’t a team player. Countless amounts of interviews even showed that. His mind was on the future, claiming he had to be safe and healthy enough to play with his kids and walk them down the aisle. And while that is considerate and caring, he didn’t live day to day. He didn’t mean it that way a good amount of the time, but that’s how it came off.
You didn’t see Michael Jordan scared of the future. Basketball entails the now. You take it game to game, play by play, with hopes that the scoreboard and your work in the paint show your tireless practices and desire to refuse to lose.
In my opinions, the Knicks can have him. They can jab at us on Twitter all they want about him. I wish them the best of luck. It’s time that he gets a new start; one in which he can hope and pray for no injuries and rep 25, the number that represents a deceased legend who attended his high school years before him.
When he was on the Bulls, he didn’t rep #25 for a reason. He repped #1 because that’s who he thought he was. Legends don’t call themselves the greatest for they don’t live their lives claiming they’re the best all the time; they live it to give it their all in every game and be their best.
I’m no legend nor am I a basketball expert, but the signs are still there.
For the future of the team that steps into United Center, Denzel Valentine has a lot in store for us. It’s a NBA draft pick that has high hopes as well. Let’s just hope his bad knees don’t bring a repeat of the man reppin' #25 on the Knicks next season. Pray that there would never be a need for The Return videos whatsoever.
Valentine is no “Derrick Rose” to many. He’s young and reminds people of silly putty. You can’t compare them yet. The 22-year-old is about to throw on a new jersey and move up to a college ball game he’s not exactly ready for. But no one is truly ready.
When you think about it, silly putty was worshiped while we were kids and when it was in the right hands, it was pretty epic. Stick it to a newspaper and watch how it picks up the print very quickly and precisely.
Hopefully sticking him to Jimmy Butler and the coaching staff of the Chicago Bulls will do just that in the paint.
Many scouts are predicting he’ll be a bench player or possibly even a bust in the first few seasons. But predicting the game is kind of like predicting the weather two months from now—it’s all in their mindset that makes the game truly work.
We won’t have a Rose next February but we will have a Valentine. And that, that is something we can work with.
Go Bulls.
