The Official Site of Derrick Rose

Mon, Feb 9th 2009, 10:31

To all the Bulls Fans

I am truly blessed to be playing pro ball in my hometown. The fans here are amazing. I really can’t believe it sometimes.

My mother Brenda, my friends and all my relatives didn’t make it down to Memphis to see me play a lot in college, but now they come to almost every home game. I thought LeBron James was the luckiest guy in the world to get drafted #1 and play in his hometown, and now I get to experience the same thing.

My family has had a huge impact on my life, and since draft night back in June our relationship has only gotten stronger. My mom keeps me grounded and pulls me back when she thinks my head gets too big, and my brothers Dwayne, Reggie and Allan make sure I stay on the right path. My family doesn’t hide anything from me. They are honest and they let me make choices and learn from my mistakes just like any young man should. Having them close as my support system has really made my transition to the NBA a smooth one.

Going back to Memphis last month for our game against the Grizzlies brought back a lot of memories. It was nice to see familiar faces on campus and while walking down Beale Street. Eating at The Blues City Cafe made me feel like I was in college again — the barbeque there is awesome. I would have liked to hang out with Coach Calipari and the rest of my former teammates while I was there, but they had to leave for a road game against Georgetown that night.

I was only 9 years old when the Bulls won their last championship, but I can still vividly remember when MJ hit that shot over Bryon Russell in Utah against the Jazz. My entire neighborhood was going nuts — people running outside, jumping around — and I remember my brothers telling me I was too young to celebrate on the street, so I stayed back on my porch and took it all in. It was crazy. The neighborhood was one big party.

My teammates and Coach Del Negro have been great at helping me get used to the NBA. The flow of the game is so fast, and guys are stronger and quicker than in college — it’s a totally different game. We have a lot of veteran guys on this team who have been around, and I respect their advice and willingness to help me. Lindsey and Kirk have helped me understand the point guard position, but I’m really learning from everyone. Off the court I’m learning how to take care of my body, sleep right and stay away from the wrong places. I had a bad habit in college where I ate way too much candy — Gummi Bears in particular — so I’ve had to change that.

I’m a simple, low-key guy. When I’m away from basketball I like to get as much rest as I can, watch movies (anything with Will Smith), play ping pong and stay in constant contact with my friends.

Right now we’re still on the brink of making the Playoffs. To get there we’ve got to lock down on defense. When we push the ball on offense and run up and down, we’re a tough team to stop, but it all starts with defense. Everyone on the team is working hard every day. We all want to win, and I can guarantee we’ll always show up and do our very best. We realize that we’re responsible for the effort put forth on the floor — we want to make you proud.

Finally, I’d like to thank you for all your support and tell you that it’s an honor for me to play in front of my hometown fans. Once you get to know me, you’ll realize that I’m just a humble, hard-working young guy who wants to win in the worst way. And we will.

See you at the UC soon,

-Derrick Rose