When Derrick Rose was first drafted by the Bulls back in 2008 everyone knew he was going to be a star. Everyone who said that was correct as he became the youngest ever player to win the MVP award. He was making All-Star games and was an absolute star. Since then, however, repeated injuries have hindered him and also turned him into an afterthought as he failed to recapture the magic of his younger days.
Recently though he has been revitalized and has begun to look like his old self again. He is currently averaging about 19 ppg on the season and has been a key player on the Timberwolves. He is currently on track to make his first All-Star Game since 2012 and his fans couldn’t be happier. There are still questions that remain surrounding his recent improvement. What caused this change? Can he keep it up? Let’s break it down below:
Examining the Resurgence of Derrick Rose
What has Caused his Resurgence?
Return to Health
From major injuries to smaller nagging ones, Rose has not been healthy in nearly six years. Before this season he could never get back to his old form because he was never healthy enough to do so. There are several keys that factor into his improvement, but the main one has to be just the overall health he has had over the course of the season. He has had a couple minor injuries this year but has been overall healthy for the first time since his all-star years. Being healthy means he can finally play at 100 percent and truly contribute to the success of his team. Rose can be the explosive slasher that he was before and return to his old form. Before this year he had brief moments of health, but was never quite there. He still contributed, but there was nothing to rave about. Now with complete health, he can revert back to his old self and become a star once again
Improved Three-Point Shooting
One of the other key factors is his improvement from the three-point line. Nobody can say that Rose has been bad from behind the arc in his career, but it definitely has not been one of his strong suits. In his entire career, he is a 31 percent three-point shooter. This season alone he is up to 46 percent, which is easily the best of his career and is one of the best in the league. This has added a new element to his game and has increased his scoring opportunities. Rose has been known as more of a slasher/midrange type of player in his career, which has limited him a bit. Now in his 11th NBA season, his newfound three-point shooting ability has opened up his game to exciting opportunities. There is no guarantee his success will continue from deep, but this season he has been consistent shooting it.
Can he Keep it Up?
Assuming Rose can stay healthy there is no reason that he shouldn’t be able to continue his success. When he has played meaningful minutes this season he has been consistently good and has looked like the old D-Rose. Health is going to be the key for him down the stretch though. He has already had a few minor injuries that have caused him to miss games. He needs to remain 100 percent healthy throughout the majority of the season to maintain his success. If injuries derail his season it may end his incredible resurgence.
Final Decision
Barring a season-ending injury, there is no reason that Rose shouldn’t be able to keep up his success. At age 30 he is still an outstanding slasher and a better shooter than he has ever been. If he stays healthy he will continue to be an important player on any team he plays. If he has another major injury that could be a different story. That would likely mark the end of the meaningful play by him and could even end his career. No matter what happens, almost everybody who watches him will be rooting for him to succeed.
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