Chicago Crier: Knicks Get Emotional as Derrick Rose Makes 'Unreal' Return
Chicago's United Center lived up to its name beyond corporate sponsorship on Friday night.
Visiting New York Knicks fans were able to relish the euphoria of the team's sixth consecutive victory, topping the hosting Chicago Bulls 114-91 in a triumph that secured a sweep of a de facto doubleheader in the Windy City. The Bulls fans that stuck around for the entirety of the carnage were granted a unique reward.
With 3:31 remaining and the game well in hand, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau broke his ongoing nine-man protocol and allowed his outliers to take the floor. Among them was Derrick Rose, who remains well-remembered and loved amongst Bulls fans for his fleeting yet brilliant eight-year run on the United Center hardwood, one that began at the top spot of the 2008 NBA Draft. Injuries derailed Rose's long-term prospects, closing a storybook union between the Chicago-born superstar and the city's championship basketball team, though the Simeon Career Academy has managed to extend his playing career past age 34.
Rose's entry undoubtedly drew the loudest cheers of the night, with fans welcoming him with chants of "MVP," referencing his prestigious 2011 honor (the youngest player to do so at 22). The cheers continued every time Rose touched the ball and reached euphoric levels when he hit a three-pointer ... one that created Chicago's largest deficit of the night at 30.
“To come here and to see all the love and receive all the love that we got, it was unreal,” an emotional Rose said of the cinematic scene, per the New York Post.
"It was amazing," he continued. "I tried to hold it in. But always getting acknowledged like that, it means a lot. We did a lot here. I'm happy I was able to get in."
Happy returns to Chicago (11-17) are nothing new for Rose, who has received a warm reception from Bulls fans since his career took a nomadic turn after he was traded to the Knicks in June 2016. Rose played 64 games for the Knicks that season before cameos through Cleveland, Minnesota, and Detroit eventually yielded a return to Manhattan nearly five years later. Friday marked his seventh visit to United Center as an opponent and his fourth as a Knick.
This time around, however, Rose finds himself at a bit of a career crossroads: he has fallen out of Thibodeau's desired nine-man set to the point where Friday's entry was his first time on game hardwood since Dec. 3. The de facto exile, which has also hit pause on Evan Fournier and Cam Reddish's affairs, has turned Rose into prime trade bait.
For just over three precious minutes of game time, however, those issues blew away in Chicago's overcast skies. Rose's homecoming became a cherished subplot for the Knicks' ongoing success. Bulls supporters parched for playoff success (making only two fruitless appearances since Rose left in 2016) got a euphoric moment that could become a memorable silver lining as the team inches closer to full-on seller mode at the deadline.
“I know what he means to this city, to the fans, to the Bulls,” Thibodeau, himself a former Chicago boss, said, per The Athletic. “I know how he feels about the Bulls and the city, so it was really nice to see him.”
"That was crazy,” Jalen Brunson, a point guard successor of Rose's greatness and fellow Illinois high school basketball star, told The Post. “I think, out of this trip, that’s probably the most special moment.”
The warm reception bestowed to Rose has opened discussions over whether the No. 1 he wore in Chicago will eventually join the other hallowed numerals hanging from United Center's rafters, a group that includes Bob Love, John Paxson, Scottie Pippen, Jerry Sloan ... and, of course, Michael Jordan.
For the time being, however, Rose is opting to turn his focus to more current projects, even if none of them involve a game day capacity for the time being. Rose has handled his exile graciously, serving as an active mentor to his replacement Miles McBride. The sophomore and the MVP have only seen their relationship fortify and the defensive standout McBride has vindicated Thibodeau's newfound faith on a nightly basis: after playing more than 10 minutes on only three occasions in the first 23 games, McBride has played just over 19 minutes a night during the Knicks' six-game winning streak.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better vet. I’m just very thankful he’s been able to take me under his wing,” McBride told The Post. “Derrick is a great person, on and off the court. I think that’s the most important thing. One of the best things I’ve learned from him was not to get too high, not to get too low, because things change quickly in this league.”
The Knicks (16-13) moved to a season-best three games over .500 with the wins over the Bulls. They'll look to extend their streak on Sunday evening when they battle the Indiana Pacers (5 p.m. ET, MSG).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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