The Official Site of Derrick Rose

Tue, Jun 8th 2010, 10:10

Behind the scenes: Powerade commercial shoot

It was 8:30 a.m. on a hot, summer Wednesday in Orlando. Most 21 year olds are sitting in a desk at the start of their summer college classes or trying to make a quick buck in between semesters.

This 21-year-old, however, was getting primped and primed. He had cameras in his space and lights shining in his eyes. He was being handed an icy Powerade bottle by someone with gloves on, and each time he took a sip, the bottle was refilled. There were dozens of people in the Milk House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – all there to capture Derrick Rose’s basketball skills like passing, dribbling and dunking. But the Chicago Bulls’ starting point guard and most important player was still a kid at heart.

In between shots of his Powerade commercial, he threw the ball at his childhood friend and challenged him to a game of H.O.R.S.E. Usually one to keep to himself, he told me how he had never been to a beach in Florida and warned me of the cold winters in Chicago. Derrick, who had joined forces with Powerade two months prior, was the center of attention. But to him, it was an honor. He was humbled by the opportunity. “I’m only 21,” he said. It’s not something he imagined while growing up in Englewood on the southwest side of Chicago.

But could he even have imagined where his short 21 years of life would have taken him? High school state championships, the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and the inclusion in to the elite group of best point guards in the NBA. The commercial was supposed to showcase the intensity and effort athletes put in to their training and on the court – something Derrick never leaves behind, even in the off-season.

SLAM: How’s the commercial shoot going?
Derrick Rose: It’s going good. Doing a lot of dunking. If anything, I’m just happy to be here. My friends are here, so I’m comfortable.

SLAM: What do they have you doing?
DR: A lot of drills. Making sure I have a lot of energy, being aggressive — if anything just have fun.

SLAM: How is it to do the commercial and then see the commercial when it’s edited and all put together?
DR: It’s crazy. I’m only 21, so for me to be in commercials, that’s something I would have never thought. I wasn’t even thinking about it when I was younger so this is like a dream come true.

SLAM: What’s your biggest memory in a commercial shoot?
DR: All commercials are different but this one especially with Powerade means a lot to see all the other players they’re doing other commercials with certain energy drinks but I have Powerade so that means a lot to me.

SLAM: What’s your favorite Powerade flavor?
DR: Fruit punch. All my friends drink it. They send a lot to the house.

SLAM: Are you watching the Playoffs?
DR: A little bit. Here and there but if anything I’m just with my family and with my friends and playing video games. I play a lot of 2k Sports. I’m competitive so are my friends so we love going against each other.

SLAM: As one of the best point guards in the League and the best player on your team, what do you do in the off-season? What do you work on?
DR: You just try to add something to your game every year. This year I’m just working on my jump shot and making my range a little bit longer and working on my leadership skills. I think that because I’m so quiet I think that I need to be more vocal so that my teammates can look at me as a leader even though I’m young and if anything just go out there and try to win at the end.

SLAM: Have they told you that? Have they said, ‘Hey we want you to yell at us and be more vocal’ or is it just you as a person?
DR: I think as a person, as a point guard, I need the leadership skills and I hear it every time we play by Joakim Noah – he’s like a big brother to me – he don’t care if it hurts your feelings or whatever, he’s doing it just to win so he’s always telling me to talk a little bit more and call out the plays.

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