Former Bulls Guard & Agent BJ Armstrong Reveals How Derrick Rose Learnt From Michael Jordan

Ever since Michael Jordan left, the Chicago Bulls have been faltering and could not remain the dominant force they once were. Although they have made multiple playoff appearances, they have come nowhere close to making the Finals.

The Bulls have not gone beyond the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2010-11. Under coach Tom Thibodeau, the team was a defensive unit, with Derrick Rose at the helm.

Former Bulls’ guard reveals how Derrick Rose learned from Michael Jordan

Ever since his debut in the league, Derrick Rose showed true star potential. He had incredible promise as a rookie and even won the Rookie of the Year trophy. In his sophomore season, Rose averaged 20.8 points, 6.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, getting selected for his first All-Star appearance.

But in his third year, ‘D-Rose’ took a massive leap. Missing only a single game, Rose averaged a whooping 25.0 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. His incredible leap coincided for one of the best Bulls regular seasons in recent memory.

The Bulls even leapfrogged the stacked Miami Heat to clinch the first spot in the East with a 62-20 record. Rose thus won the MVP trophy and became the youngest player ever to do so. Former Bulls’ guard B. J. Armstrong recently revealed how Rose took inspiration from Michael Jordan to win the MVP trophy.

“Every night, it was great that we (he and Rose) would talk and we would try to figure out — or he would figure out — what he had to do to win that game. I kinda learned that, being in Chicago, in particular, I learned it from Michael (Jordan), because he would always challenge me, ‘I gotta find a reason to be my best.'”

He added, “I learned that from Michael because he always found something that was gonna keep him angry and upset. So that season, for 82 games, he (Rose) tried to win every single game.

“Once I saw him (Rose) do that, then I knew he was ready. I knew he was ready to challenge himself because that’s the fun part, knowing that you can walk out on the floor and win every single time you step out there.”

While Rose dominated the league as a 22-year-old, injuries ravaged his career. To this date, it remains one of the biggest ‘what ifs’ in the league. How many MVPs would have Derrick Rose won without his injuries? It will forever remain one of the biggest mysteries of the league.