Fans will remember Derrick Rose from his early days in the NBA. He was named Rookie of the Year, made multiple All-Star appearances, and became the league’s youngest-ever MVP all before the age of 23.
Rose was a legitimate superstar. He was also one of the league’s best veteran mentors in his final years, a transformation that few elite players have been able to accomplish.
The back half of Rose’s 15-year career, spread out among the Knicks, Cavaliers, Pistons and Grizzlies, registers as little more than a footnote for most fans. But ask the players, and his impact during that time continues to this day.
How Derrick Rose went from NBA’s youngest MVP to mentor for next generation
Rose never regained his MVP form after a series of injuries in his mid-20s, but he remained a talented player. In his early thirties, he finished in the top seven for Sixth Man of the Year three years in a row.
Rather than demanding to start games during that stretch, he accepted his role and assisted the point guards ahead and behind him in the rotation.
“I didn’t realize what a great leader he is. “I’ve looked up to him for as long as I can remember,” third-string Pistons guard Frank Jackson told James Edwards of The Athletic in 2021.
Jackson and Rose were both behind rookie Killian Hayes that season, with Rose clearly the best of the trio. Nonetheless, he made it clear who the team’s starting lineup should be.
“I already talked to [Hayes] and told him he is the future of the team and there is no competing,” Rose told reporters during the preseason. “My job here is to push him and groom him to be a great player.”
After being traded to the Knicks midway through the season, Rose continued to mentor his fellow point guards. Shortly after Rose retired, Immanuel Quickley named his former teammate the most influential leader he’s ever had.
“He was on my team during my rookie year. “Having the youngest MVP ever on your team as a rookie, playing the same position as you, and being able to ask him questions is something I hold dear,” Quickley told reporters at Raptors media day. “He was a great teammate.”
During his first few seasons in Chicago, Rose was not the most vocal player in the room. But he learned by example, and at the end of his career, he carried on that leadership style.
“You had guys like Kurt Thomas.” Guys, these kids aren’t gonna know. Many OGs who took good care of their bodies and played for 17-18 years, like Nazr Mohammed.
Rose told Stadium’s Shams Charania that he was a professional who did his job and had a routine before his final season in 2023. “Kids these days, they need that example of someone coming in and being a professional.”
Rose became the Grizzlies’ Kurt Thomas during his final season. These types of players, known as “OGs” in the league, are frequently lifelong role players. Rose was overqualified for the position but accepted it anyway.
“Derrick was amazing with our group. I don’t have enough time to discuss how much of an impact he had on his teammates, the coaching staff, and the organization,” said head coach Taylor Jenkins to Sporting News.
“He set the tone with his work ethic; even when he was out of the rotation or recovering from an injury, he approached each day with care and love. He invested so much in the game of basketball.”
Rose, as a veteran, guided Ja Morant through one of his most difficult times. Morant told Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian that Rose taught him how to be a man.
Rose might have helped Scotty Pippen Jr. even more. Pippen’s father, NBA legend Scottie Pippen, had a positive relationship with Rose. Scotty and his father have been watching Rose play for the Bulls since he was 10 years old.
Pippen Jr. was ecstatic to be signed to a two-way contract with the Grizzlies during Rose’s final season. That was a difficult period in Pippen’s career, with questions about his NBA future after being released by the Lakers during training camp. Rose gave him the encouragement he needed to regain his NBA footing.
“It’s all about confidence,” Pippen told Sporting News. “Derrick mentioned that as a kid, he knew he was going to make it to the NBA. He realized he deserved to be here. Knowing that I belong here has changed my mentality. Not thinking or believing, but knowing that you belong.
Rose would walk Pippen through what he was seeing on the court that last year. He also helped Pippen and others get off the floor during dinners, offering fitness and financial advice.
Pippen played well at the end of the season and had his contract converted to a standard multi-year deal this summer. He’s been an effective two-way guard for the team, alternating between starting and bench roles. Rose, once again, saw this and believed in his abilities.
“He hit me up to tell me when he was retiring that now it’s my turn,” Pippen recalls.
Even after he retired, he continues to mentor his Grizzlies teammates.
“These guys felt his care and his love, and him pouring into them,” according to Jenkins. “They continue to have positive relationships with him. He’s still in Memphis, with his family. He’s rooted himself there. “The relationships still extend beyond basketball.”
Injuries could have ended his career much earlier, but Rose retired on his own terms, leaving the league as one of the most respected teammates. Jenkins stated, “We should all be thankful for the time spent with Derrick.”
