One of the most dramatic fall-from-grace stories in the NBA, point guard Derrick Rose was once considered an elite talent that could potentially usher in another winning dynasty for the Chicago Bulls. Despite going to three All-Star games from 2010-2012, Rose has since faded into the background due to several debilitating injuries. While Rose had an impressive season with the New York Knicks last year (18 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.4 APG), the 28 year old point man is still a free agent. Given what Rose accomplished early in his career, the question still remains of how much is the determined athlete actually worth?
Derrick Rose’s Net Worth as of 2017: $70 Million
How did the once coveted point guard get there? And how have his initial accomplishments enabled him to still have this type of wealth? Let’s find out.
2008-2014
After being drafted 1st overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft, Rose emphatically proved that he was worth the top selection. Rose became the first Bulls draftee since Michael Jordan to score 10 or more points in his first 10 games and earned Rookie of the Month Honors in November and December. Rose played in every game but one during his rookie season, and earned Rookie of the Year honors for his contributions as a clutch scorer and superb ball facilitator. In his playoff debut against the Boston Celtics, Rose became the first rookie since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to score 36 points in his first playoff game. Although the Bulls would eventually lose to the Celtics in seven games, the future seemed bright for the tenacious and talented superstar.
Despite missing the 2009 preseason with a ankle injury, Rose was ultimately able to appear in the Bulls regular season opener, although his minutes on the court were limited. However, as Rose’s ankle healed his play on the court improved, which earned the second year player his first All-star selection. While the Bulls made the playoffs again, they were quickly dispatched by the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games with Rose averaging 26.8 points and 7.2 assists throughout the series.
After being held in check last year by his ankle injury, Rose came into the 2010 season rejuvenated and determined to prove that he could be the best player in the NBA. Not only was Rose at the top his game scoring wise (25 PPG), his defensive capabilities were also much improved as he averaged 1 steal per game throughout the season. Rose’s dynamic dominance throughout the season earned the Bulls a number one seed in the playoffs while Rose would go on to win MVP honors. The Bulls would go on to reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the playoffs where they were stifled by a Lebron James led Miami Heat squad.
A month into the 2011 season, the Bulls signed Rose to a five-year contract extension worth $94.8 million, which took up 30 percent of the Bulls salary cap. Throughout the first half of the season, Rose played very well as he averaged 21.8 PPG and established a new career high in assists per game with 7.9. However, Rose became limited on the court during the second half of the season due to various injuries. However, the worst was yet to come as Rose injured his knee during the first round of the playoffs against he Philadelphia 76ers. An MRI revealed that Rose had torn his ACL in his left knee and would require surgery to repair the the ligament.
After surgery in the offseason, Rose was forced to miss the entire 2012 season to recover and rehabilitate his surgically repaired knee. Still, the Bulls found a way to make the playoffs and reached the second round where they lost to the Miami Heat.
After being away from basketball for more than a year, Rose was hungry to return to form to help the Bulls become serious contenders in the Eastern Conference in 2013. In his first (and only) 10 games of the season, Rose struggled to shoot from the field (35.4 FG%) and had severe issues securing the ball. On November 22, Rose injured his knee in a matchup against the Portland Trailblazers. This time, Rose tore the MCL in his right knee and had to miss the rest of the season.
After going through surgery and rehab once again in the offseason, Rose was able to play in the Bulls season opener against the New York Knicks in 2014. Although Rose was able to play in 51 games, he was held out for four to six weeks after February 24 as he needed another round of surgery on his right knee. During the playoffs, Rose showed glimpses of his past potential as he averaged 21.5 PPG in the Bulls first round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. While Rose and the Bulls fought hard to take an initial 2-1 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, they would drop the next three games and lose the series.
He reportedly earned $18.8 million in 2014.
2015-Present
During the 2015 season, Rose was healthy for the majority of the year and averaged 16.4 PPG to go along with 4.4 APG. While Rose was able to finish the season without missing long stretches of playing time, his once dominant skill set as both a passer and scorer were noticeably diminished.
After being traded to the New York Knicks during the 2016 off season, Rose was finally forced to realize that he was no longer an essential franchise player. Although Rose was consistently accurate as a shooter and solid as a passer, he was once again hit by the injury bug as he tore the MCL in his left knee in April. While Rose believed that he would be able to find a home fairly quickly in free agency, the injury plagued point guard is still a free agent and is currently in talks with Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers in hopes of getting another chance to prove himself.
While there are a plethora of devastating fall-from-grace stories in the NBA, none have been as heart breaking since Rose entered the league. At one point, many believed Rose could be the next Michael Jordan in the sense that he could consistently lead a iconic franchise back to prominence. Sadly, Rose sustained one season ending injury after another, effectively stifling his development into becoming one of the best players in the game. While Rose will undoubtedly find a new franchise to play for soon, his worth as an elite talent will never be the same.
He reportedly earned $21.3 million in 2017.
