There are plenty of heartbreaking stories in the NBA. However, none may come close to that of former Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose. Although the youngest MVP in league history is still playing in the league, planted deep on the bench of the New York Knicks, his career trajectory has not been the same since he tore his ACL late in an NBA Playoff game on April 28, 2012.
His teammate at that time and former NBA champion Rip Hamilton said it all could have been different had their coach, Tom Thibodeau, taken Rose out of the game earlier.
Career-altering injury
Before the injury, Rose was on a career path unlike any other NBA player had ever seen. He was the first overall pick selected in the 2008 NBA Draft and almost immediately became one of the best players in the league. Over his first four seasons, he won the Rookie of the Year award, became an All-Star, and won the MVP trophy.
The Bulls were up 99-87 against the 76ers with 1:22 remaining when Rose—who already had 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists—planted his left foot to go for a layup. It immediately buckled and Rose fell to the floor in pain. Hamilton saw this unfold and knew it wasn't good.
"You know what, once you got the game in hand, especially in the playoffs, you got to get your best player off the floor," shared Hamilton. "You're the focal point of our offense. It's so much he's gonna have to deal with, especially when you get later in a series just from a physicality standpoint."
"I'm thinking to myself, like, 'Come on Thibs, gotta get him out the game.'" added Hamilton. "So when that happens I'm like, 'oh snap!'"
Played with such force
Doug Collins, the coach of the Sixers team the Bulls were facing in that series, was near Rose when it happened. He immediately signaled for a medical team to come and check on the fallen star.
"I was very sad when it happened," Collins said. "I think we all loved the way he played, the sense of style. The only other guy I can think of who played that way was Westbrook. They played with such force, if you were coaching on the sideline when they came roaring up the floor, you could almost feel that energy that was being created."
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