Luol Deng on how it was to play with prime Derrick Rose: 'There are so many games that he won for us without us even doing nothing'

Luol Deng watched Derrick Rose arrive in Chicago and literally took over the team from Ben Gordon. Deng was the Bulls' steady second option behind Gordon but after the team drafted Rose in 2008, the fortunes of the franchise drastically changed.

Gordon and Deng were a duo that led the Bulls to three straight postseason appearances from 2004 to 2006. But after Derrick impressively won Rookie of the Year honors in 2009, Gordon left for Detroit, and D-Rose turned the Bulls into contenders before injuries cut short his rise in Chicago.

Looking back, Deng talked about playing with him and his impact on the city.

"There's obviously nothing like the Michael Jordan era," said Deng. "But the D-Rose era, I would say this: The D-Rose era was something special that a lot of people would never get to experience, and I was just so blessed and happy to be part of that."

The Chosen One

Rose was the Bulls' biggest star since Jordan. He still is. But what made him different from MJ was that he represented the city like no other. Derrick was born and raised in Chicago, starred at Simeon Career Academy in the Windy City, and was the Bulls' No.1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

But Derrick wasn't just the No.1 pick; he was the "Chosen One" - the one born to live out the dream of every Chicago kid who wanted to play for the hometown Bulls. Not only did "Pooh" live out his dream, but he became the MVP of the league, historically accomplishing the feat as the youngest to ever do it.

"There's so many games that he just won for us without us even doing nothing," added Deng. "The fourth quarter, he would just turn it on, and you could see, and we all saw it, you know, certain guys when they're in a zone, nobody wants to face him."

Derrick Rose Flu

Deng wasn't exaggerating when he said that nobody wanted to face D-Rose during his prime. Former NBA point guard Raymond Felton, who played 16 career games against "Pooh," admitted to the existence of the dreaded 'Derrick Rose Flu'.

"That dude right there is probably the toughest point guard I ever played against when he was in his prime," said Felton. "When he was in his prime, ain't nobody touching him, bro. I don't care. CP, whoever can't touch him. And he proved that. Coz he went through everybody. The way that man was playing that year, the year he won the MVP, it was crazy how many people were getting sick when it was time to play Chicago. It was crazy, out because of illness."

Unfortunately, just as the flu started to look like it was becoming a pandemic, injuries derailed D-Rose's rise and ultimately changed the trajectory of his career. He was unable to deliver an NBA title in Chicago. But he is celebrated there like he won six championships too.