“They were in nefarious things, but at 7, they were inside the crib watching the game” – D-Rose speaks about his impact on young kids originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The late 1990s and the early 2000s were rough times for Chicago Bulls fans. After the Bulls’ run of dominance ended in 1998 with Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance,” they went six straight seasons without making the postseason. Then, after a brief resurgence led by Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, the Bulls again stumbled to a 33-49 record during the 2007-08 season, which paved the way for them to win the top pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
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That pick was a godsend, as the Bulls selected hometown hero Derrick Rose with the first overall pick. As a star at Simeon Academy in Chicago, the explosive guard was already a local legend before he even donned a Bulls jersey. Once he arrived in Windy City, it didn’t take long for D-Rose to become a global superstar.
Energized the city and the fanbase
In his rookie season, Rose averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 assists per game and helped lead the Bulls back to the playoffs. And though they eventually exited in the first round, they gave the then-champions Boston Celtics all they had in an unforgettable seven-game showdown that featured clutch play after clutch play.
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After winning the Rookie of the Year award, Rose became an All-Star in his second season. By his third year, his place amongst the NBA’s elite was set in stone as Derrick became the youngest player in league history to win the coveted Most Valuable Player award. More than anything, the Bulls were back to being legitimate title contenders and made it to the East finals before losing to the Miami Heat.
At that time, Bulls fandom was at an all-time high. The city was buzzing with excitement and hope as they watched their team rise to prominence once again.
“All this is solely for the fans. It’s never about me, because I always felt like it was the same thing, bro. I needed the city, and the city needed me,” Rose shared on the “Numbers On The Board” podcast. “They loved the way I hooped, the way I carried myself on the court.”
Rose’s positive impact
Chi-Town is not for the faint of heart. Its streets are notorious for their long and bloody history of gang activity. Rose is well aware of this, having grown up in the neighborhood. So, he took pride in claiming that, in his own way, Pooh was giving people something to believe in, a sense of hope and pride for their city.
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“Now, looking back at it, I see that the love was mutual. You know what I’m saying? I felt the love from the kids at that time, and even now, when I come back, I still feel it,” D-Rose uttered. “Many of those kids who were watching me back then — sure, some of them were caught up in nefarious things — but at 7:00 p.m., they were inside their homes, watching the game.”
“In a way, we were helping keep people safe just by playing. While we were out there on the court, competing and entertaining, we were keeping them off the streets and possibly preventing them from getting hurt,” he stressed.
Rose’s first three seasons in the NBA were special for Bulls fans. They believed their search for the franchise’s savior had finally ended. However, Derrick’s meteoric rise in the NBA was shot down by an ACL injury he suffered in the 2012 playoffs. Although the Bulls have made the postseason a few times since then, the vibe has never been the same.
Related: “Going back to the crib” – Derrick Rose recalls getting drafted by the Chicago Bulls
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.