Five years after his departure, Derrick Rose remains a beloved figure in Chicago, where he led the Bulls to an NBA-best 62-20 record in 2011 while becoming the youngest MVP (22) in league history. Rose’s eight-year tenure in the Windy City wasn’t always smooth sailing with injuries often getting in the way, but that didn’t stop Bulls fans from giving him a hero’s welcome upon his return Thursday night, receiving a standing ovation when he and Knicks teammate Taj Gibson (also a former Bull) checked in about midway through the first quarter.
Taking the floor at United Center for the first time in almost two years, the 6’2” guard gave his supporters plenty to cheer about, contributing 12 points on inefficient 5-of-10 shooting (1-of-3 from beyond the arc) off the bench in a 104-103 Knicks victory. A Chicago native who played his high-school ball at hoops powerhouse Simeon Academy, Rose even heard “MVP” chants at one point.
Rose isn’t the dominant force he was in his Bulls heyday, though the veteran has caught a second wind as a rotation player under coach Tom Thibodeau (who he also teamed up with in Chicago and Minnesota), joining Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson as one of three finalists for NBA Sixth Man of the Year last season. And, apparently, he still has quite a following in his hometown.
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