Derrick Rose, the youngest MVP in NBA history, has a chance to regain his former glory and lift the New York Knicks back to NBA relevancy.
Derrick Rose has placed the New York Knicks in one of the more peculiar situations they’ve found themselves in during the James Dolan era. He’s averaging well above the league average with 17.8 points per game and is distributing 4.4 assists to 2.4 turnovers per game.
Whether you’re impressed or not, the numbers don’t tell the story for Rose. He’s one of the most puzzling and frustrating characters in all of the NBA, and he always has been.
Rose is a mild-mannered man who puts time into everything he does. Rose was once the most athletic point guard the NBA has ever seen until his infamous string of both serious and lingering lower body injuries.
The 2011 NBA MVP was the youngest player to ever win the award, and often times provided jaw-dropping acrobatic layups and shocking dunks. A heartbreaking left ACL tear in the 2012 NBA playoffs deprived the league of a Chicago Bulls championship, as well as Rose dethroning The King, who was then down in South Beach.
This isn’t his fault. In fact, Rose has approached his recovery admirably. He has the resilience to climb to the top of the mountain again.
The biggest thing for Rose has always been steady and gradual improvement over time. The key word here is time, being something that the once Hall of Fame-bound slasher can never get back.
The timing of his ACL tear was about the worst it could have been. The Injury came during the first round of the playoffs of 2012. That meant his recovery would force him to miss all of the 2012-13 season.
His long awaited return to the Bulls was cut short only 10 games into the 2013-14 season. He tore the meniscus in his right knee, forcing him to miss the remainder of that season, as well.
This essentially means that Rose missed two entire years of development, offseason polishing, and on-court experience in the ever-changing NBA.
When Rose dominated, he was immaculate running the pick and roll in a predominantly pick and roll league. He had an lethal midrange jump shot and an ever better close-range floater.
The time he missed goes beyond missing two seasons. While Rose recovered, the NBA evolved into a 3-point heavy league centered around pace and space. He missed out on the 3-point revolution and now has to adapt on the fly.
His reluctance to shoot the three has hindered his growth this season. He’s attempting only 1.0 3-point field goal made per game for the Knicks, and is still averaging 17.8 points per game.
Think about that for a second. It’s actually incredible that Rose is scoring 17.8 points per game while hitting just 0.2 3-point field goals per game and only shooting 4.0 free throws a game.
It’s not out of pocket to envision Rose once again averaging 22-to-24 points per game. Theoretically, him hitting one 3-point field goal per game this year would bump his average to roughly 21 points per game, and making two more free throws would bring him to roughly 23.
That would lunge Rose into the top 15 scorers in the league statistically.
The other players averaging 23 points per game are C.J. McCollum and Jimmy Butler at 23.3, Bradley Beal at 23.2, Giannis Antetokounmpo at 23.1, and John Wall at 23.2.
Those are some of the most notable and rising stars in the NBA today.
Rose is doing it the old fashioned way, getting in the lane and finishing around the rim. In a way, Rose has one of the most unique skill sets in the NBA today. Other players are playing from the outside in while Rose continues to play inside out.
Rose has always had an iffy outside shot, and during his MVP season, he only managed to shoot 31 percent from three. But during the 2016-17 season, he hasn’t even given himself a chance to evolve, only attempting 60 threes in 60 games.
As the great Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take,” and for Rose, it’s more true than ever.
He fits perfectly into the triangle offense; in fact, he’s the ideal guard to run it. He can score from midrange and penetrate defenses like no other player in NBA history.
Rose is in an ideal situation. He has the chance to reach NBA stardom again. He can become an All-Star again next season. Expanding beyond his comfort zone and adapting to the new NBA is vital for Rose. He has a real chance to regain his former glory.
Derrick Rose needs is to believe in himself and Knicks fans need to realize he was once the prodigal son of the NBA. Even after the injuries, he has the talent to take New York to new heights in the years to come.
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For Rose, its about TIME. For New York Knicks fans, it’s about patience. In time, a Rose will bloom in the Garden.