On The Brink: The Rise And Fall of Derrick Rose

ON THE BRINK is a series of articles on NBA players who appeared destined for superstardom, only to run into injuries that derailed their ascent. Despite the unfortunate turn of events, these players deserve to be recognized for their finest moments.

There were many, many things that Derrick Rose defied.

One was expectations. At a time when LeBron James was entering his prime and Kobe Bryant was fresh off back-to-back titles, the Chicago Bulls stalwart managed to stand out and make basketball fans obsessed with his signature sneaker.

Twenty-two-year-olds are not supposed to win MVP under the bright lights of the NBA. But Rose did without batting an eyelash or cracking an ear-to-ear smile.

Rose wasn’t showy with his facial expressions, but he was downright flamboyant with just about everything else. Defying gravity like it was nothing, Rose was must-see TV because of his audacious drives to the rim, creative finishes, and jaw-dropping aerial maneuvers.

The 6-foot-3 guard, by the way, also defied the boundaries of time. Not only was Rose a graceful scoring machine, but he was also a ruthless operator in the clutch. Whether it was with an off-balance jumper or a field goal in the paint, Rose proved many times over that he wasn’t afraid of the moment.

Unfortunately, there was one thing that Rose could not prevail over. And that would be the limitations of his body.

Perhaps the gravity-defying moves had taken a toll on his body. Or maybe it was the short rotations that Bulls head coach Tim Thibodeau loved to implement. Given all these circumstances, Rose’s knees went beyond their limit.

The MVP and All-Star campaigns gave way to seasons marred by knee injuries, such as ACL and meniscus tears. After playing 81 out of 82 regular-season games twice in his first three years, Rose would never even sniff 70 games for the rest of his stint in Chicago.

For the rest of his career, the promising young icon became a journeyman and a nostalgia act, never quite able to recapture the heights he once reached. In his final season before retiring, Rose played just 24 games and mostly came off the bench for the 2023–24 Memphis Grizzlies.

The ultimate irony of his career is this: The rapid pace at which his career took off was matched only by the sudden decline brought about by his injuries. Still, no one can deny that Derrick Rose was, once upon a time, a top-caliber competitor who defied so many obstacles in his way.