Thursday Afternoon Diversion: Derrick Rose Is Still A Kid At Heart

Derrick Rose's emergence as both a basketball player and a man have been amazing to watch unfold. It's rare for a Chicago sports franchise to witness the career trajectory of a transcendent player. To have lightning strike twice is something we should appreciate, especially when the second time is a homegrown player like the reigning NBA MVP, who still wears his Englewood roots with pride.

Which is what makes this video even all the more amazing and reminds us that Rose is still all of 22, with the attendant childlike wonderment and enthusiasm that comes with being that age. He may be shilling for Adidas and the Bulls here, but watching it, one gets the sense that he could be having just as much fun with the puppets if this weren't a business trip.

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By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on January 5, 2012 3:00 PM 0 Comments

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twocee

Derrick Rose has single-handedly made me pay attention to the NBA. He is a kid that anyone can root for and who can actually be a role model for people. No -- not everyone will go into the NBA, but he is a fantastic example of attaining your dream and rising to the top of your profession while retaining humility, respect, and common decency. The NBA should market the heck out of him.

ChicagoD

Yeah, except the SAT/Memphis era was not a good one. I can't completely buy into him as an inspiration because he cheated to jump through the hoop the NBA created for high school seniors. Love him as a baller though.

twocee

I think your feelings about the SAT thing depend on your feelings of the fairness of both the NBA draft rules and the fairness of NCAA rules. I think both are stacked against poor and mostly minority kids. Your mileage will obviously vary.

ChicagoD

Welcome to the Top 10, by the way. You join illustrious company. Although I don't know who 1-3 are.

twocee

I think this is proof of how completely bored I really was last week :)

kateski19

Derrick Rose so great as both a basketball player and a person.

(Though he's 23 now, not 22.)

ChicagoD

I don't trust professional athletes enough to ever put one's name on my kid's back, but Rose sorely tempts me. I know that testing issues and his time at Memphis do not necessarily speak well of his character, but he's so likable.

chicagoist_tips

I chalk the SAT scores and Memphis as doing what he needed to do in order to get to the NBA. IF the restrictions on having to spend a year out of high school before declaring for the draft weren't in place, Rose would have made the jump after he left Simeon. - Chuck