Derrick Rose officially retired from basketball on September 26, 2024. However, his decision to step away from the game hasn’t stopped his contemporaries from giving him his flowers. Rose tantalized the NBA with his combination of speed and explosiveness, resulting in him being a matchup nightmare. Former NBA star, John Wall, recalled the tumultuous experience of matching up against Rose in his prime.
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Injuries robbed Rose of what could’ve been one of the greatest careers in NBA history. His last All-Star appearance came at the young age of 23. However, in the four-year window of his dominance, Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history at 22 years old. Unfortunately for Wall, he entered the league during the Bulls star’s MVP season.
All through his college career, Wall had never gone against someone who matched his speed and explosiveness. Not only did Rose match it, but he surpassed Wall’s ability. As a result, he became the most difficult player the former star ever played.
Rose’s MVP season was one of the purest showcases of a modern point guard ever. He used his speed and explosive jumping ability to terrorize some of the league’s hardest defenses and led his hometown Bulls to a stunning 62-20 record. It was the best resource in the league that year.
Speaking to Draymond Green and Baron Davis about the problems that Rose gave him, Wall said, “This is my rookie year and it was MVP year for him so that was hell. The hardest person I had problems with was D Rose.”
Rose’s skillset was unlike anything the NBA had seen at the time. However, his role under head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system allowed him to flourish offensively. As a result, Rose dominated the competition, even to the extent of instilling fear in his opponents.
Wall revealed that on many occasions opposing point guards would fake injuries and illnesses just to escape facing Rose during his MVP season. Although Wall believes Rose is a one-of-one, there is a player that he deems fit to compare to the Bulls legend.
John Wall compared Russell Westbrook to Derrick Rose
Wall doesn’t believe there’s anyone close to surpassing Rose as the hardest player he has faced. However, another star point guard from the 2008 NBA Draft gave Wall fits for a different reason. While Rose found his spots during the game to turn it on, former MVP Russell Westbrook played at 100% for all 48 minutes.
[Derrick Rose] would be cruising, and then he like, ‘I’ma turn it on, I’m about to get 30,'” Wall said. “But Russ? Before you walk out of the locker room warming up for the game, in his mind, he’s already looking to get 80. Non-stop.”
Both players shared similarities in their explosiveness and ability to apply rim pressure. However, they did so in different ways. Rose played gracefully and didn’t force his game at any moment. On the other hand, Westbrook’s incredible motor didn’t allow opposing guards to take any plays off.
Wall can differentiate the two as individual players while comparing what they both do greatly. There are plenty of things that Rose and Westbrook have in common with the greatest being their undeniable impact on the game of basketball.
