What if Derrick Rose never suffered that ACL injury remains one of the biggest What-Ifs in NBA history. He was fresh off being the youngest player to win MVP and it seemed that the sky was the limit. Although he wasn’t able to live up to his fullest potential, Rose’s legacy is among the legends, especially in his hometown of Chicago. Rap artist G Herbo believes Rose means more to the city than the greatest player in Chicago Bulls history.
Advertisement
Rose brought life to the Bulls franchise when they needed it most. The 6-foot-3 guard wasn’t any ordinary talented prospect. He experienced the struggle that came from being an underprivileged kid in inner-city Chicago.
Rose didn’t play at an esteemed prep school. He remained a local figure, attending Simeon High School. Whenever he played, members of rival games would put their feud aside just to watch him. It makes sense as to why the city was in high spirits once the Bulls landed the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft to select Rose.
The trajectory of Rose’s career gave many Chicago natives hope. Plenty of people felt like one of their relatives made it to the big leagues. Taking all of this into consideration, G Herbo believes nobody can match Rose’s impact.
“First and foremost, you got to state the facts. Michael Jordan is not from Chicago,” G Herbo said on BagFuel. “D Rose is from Chicago. We’ve seen this s***.”
Jordan’s NBA allegiance might be with the Chicago Bulls, but he wasn’t a homegrown talent. The six-time NBA champion is from North Carolina. As much as he loves Chicago, North Carolina will always have a special place in his heart. After all, Jordan did become the owner of the Charlotte Hornets from 2010 to 2023.
Rose, on the other hand, continues to make an impact in the community even following his basketball career. The three-time All-Star owes Chicago everything. Even went as far as to state how important growing up in the city was toward his career.
“If you feel like you can intimidate somebody on the court, you’re going to do that,” Rose said on The Numbers On The Board podcast. Playing outside at the park infused that mindset in his approach to the game.
Although Jordan didn’t grow up playing in those conditions, just the atmosphere led Rose to believe the dynamic guard needed Chicago to thrive.
“MJ wouldn’t be MJ if he played anywhere else but Chicago for his pro career. He would have been a great player anywhere else, but in Chicago, he became the Black Cat, he became MJ in Chicago. Just off the strength of the culture that’s in Chicago, and its cultures is everywhere, but basketball culture is just strong,” Rose said on the Club 520 Podcast.
Clearly, Rose understands the impact Jordan had on the city during his prime. MJ was winning championships while Rose was just a child. Most kids would be glued to the TV. But Rose’s passion was elsewhere.
“I ain’t watch none of Mike’s games like that,” Rose revealed on the Out The Mud podcast. Rose didn’t find the intrigue of watching someone else play when he could use the time to hone his own craft. Rather than watching Jordan, he was playing at the park.
All of these different stories make Derrick Rose who he is. He is Chicago, and it’s understandable for people like G Herbo to hold the Bulls legend to such high regard. There’s nothing like one of your own making it at the biggest stage. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing Jordan doesn’t have over Rose in the city of Chicago.
