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Derrick Rose started off his career on a trajectory as if he would become the next Michael Jordan in Bulls’ history. He currently holds the record for the youngest player to win NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award for the regular season. However, an unfortunate tragedy struck the player in the Playoffs of the 2011-12 season.

Derrick Rose was coming off an MVP season and a powerful display in the regular season. The Bulls were the first seed coming into the playoffs that season. Therefore, they were favorites to win the championship from the Eastern Conference. However, in Game 1 of the playoffs that year, history changed forever for the Bulls fans. Derrick Rose tore his left ACL that led to a series of missed games that effectively ended the Bulls’ championship ambitions.

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Recently, his former teammate Joakim Noah compared that experience to a historic unfortunate tragedy in the United States’ history.

Former teammate reflects on the injury to Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose reminded Bulls’ fans of the dominance on the floor that they last saw in Michael Jordan. He was the most crucial piece in the Bulls’ championship ambitions at the time. Upon returning to play a year after this injury, he again faced a torn right meniscus that effectively ended all hopes for the Bulls’ fans.

Now, his former teammate Noah has revealed how this tragic injury affected the team’s morale. He admitted that to him it felt like the moment he got to know about the 9/11 attacks.

I had the same feeling of when I saw the plane hit the tower [on Sept. 11, 2001]. People will be like, ‘He’s crazy for saying that.’ No. I’m telling you how I felt,” said Noah.

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When Rose suffered his career-ending injury, Noah and Rose were teammates on the Bulls. Prior to the setback, Rose had been on a trajectory that seemed destined for success. It’s impossible to say where Rose would be today if he hadn’t torn his ACL. It was apparent when he returned from his injury that he wasn’t the same player.

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Rose is still playing in the NBA, even if Noah’s career is ended. Noah never won a championship, but Rose is hoping to do so with the New York Knicks this season. In the eyes of many, both players will always be Bulls icons, but Chicago are yet to win an NBA championship since 1998.

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