Imagine one of the most electrifying players in NBA history choosing not to dunk on purpose. Yep, that’s exactly what Derrick Rose was doing in his rookie season. And it was not because of his inability to do so, but a reason that might seem odd to some. The reason stated, however, also reflects a humble side of the 2009 Rookie of the Year.

Rose recently opened up about this during a conversation with Joakim Noah on the Chicago Bulls’ YouTube channel in an episode titled Memory Lane. He recalled how during his initial time in the league he was going for high layups and somebody asked him why he was not going for dunks instead.

His answer? Pure humility.

“I didn’t think that was a thing,” Rose said, reflecting on his mindset as a rookie. “I didn’t think that it would change the mindset of people, of Bigs, once I go in the lane.“

Can you believe that? He actually doubted that his dunks would have an impact!

It, however, didn’t take long for him to realize how wrong he was. Rose remembered the moment it all clicked—his big dunk over Phoenix Suns guard, Leandro Barbosa. “It was in Chicago… After I made that dunk… it opened up the lane for me. And that’s when I knew, all right, I can have moments like this.”

And the moments he had!

If you’re a Bulls fan, chances are you still remember that dunk over Goran Dragic. It was nothing less than jaw-dropping. A fast break, Rose charging with a head full of steam, and poor Dragic ending up on a poster. Rose’s rookie hesitation just shows how humble he was. But once he let loose, there was no stopping him.

Not until he had no option but to stop.

Derrick Rose on why he was no longer dunking in the league

For the first eight seasons of his career, Derrick Rose was nothing short of electrifying. But after a devastating knee injury during the 2012-13 season, things began to change. By 2021, fans had started wondering why he wasn’t playing the same way. And Rose wasn’t too proud to admit the shortcomings he was having.

In a raw and heartfelt Facebook post, Rose opened up about the changes. Imagine working your dream job for over a decade, he wrote, only to have someone who barely knows you say you looked like your “old self” today. The 3x All-Star admitted he was no longer the same player he once used to be.

“It’s nothing VINTAGE about my game but my floaters,” he wrote, laying it all out. Derrick Rose reflected on how much his game had changed. The high-flying dunks? Gone. The blazing speed? Not anymore. Even his reverse layups have taken a backseat.

These two instances of Rose not being able to dunk highlight qualities that are even rarer than the ability to soar above the rim: humility and acceptance.