LeBron James: Derrick Rose ‘still a superhero’ after 50-point game

Rose’s career-high scoring night even elicited the highest of praise from LeBron James, who referred to his onetime teammate as a “superhero.”

“To have the battles and battles with his injuries, to be able to come back … for him to set a career high tonight in a win in Minnesota, I think that’s unbelievable,” James said of Rose following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 114-113 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, via ESPN. “I think every kid, you don’t even have to play sports — any kid that’s going through anything in life about adversity and triumph and trying to just get over the hump, you can look at that performance by Derrick Rose tonight.

“That’s why our game is so unbelievable, because even when a superhero’s knocked down, he’s still a superhero, and Derrick Rose showed why he’s still a superhero.”

Rose not surprisingly was incredibly emotional following his virtuoso performance. James posted Rose’ postgame interview on Instagram to praise the onetime NBA MVP.

“So extremely HAPPY AND PROUD of you bro!!!” James wrote in a post which featured the hashtag #DRoseforPresident. “I seen it first hand how much you worked and dedicated on your body, craft, mind, etc etc just to play 1 game at a time! Perseverance is a mutha and this is the ABSOLUTE perfect definition of it!! Salute Bro!”

When asked what his 50-point game meant to him, Rose, in tears, said, “Everything.”

It goes without saying the NBA world took notice as well.