NBA: It’s been a special year for point guards wearing No. 4
By Dalton Sell
Derrick Rose has given the New York Knicks a massive boost in their push for the NBA Playoffs
Monday marked 10 years having passed since Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history at just 22-years-old. Since then, a once surefire Hall of Fame career has grown plagued with injuries year after year, almost causing Rose to abruptly retire during the 2017-18 season.
However, just when it seemed like he would be out of the league for good, Rose’s former head coach Tom Thibodeau, then coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, brought him aboard. The sturdy relationship between the two dates back to their days with the Chicago Bulls at the height of Rose’s career, where Thibodeau also earned Coach of the Year honors.
Rose rejuvenated his career after reuniting with Thibodeau on the Wolves, getting himself back on the right track. Following another productive season in Minnesota, Rose signed a deal with the Detroit Pistons, where he was shrouded in trade speculation for what seemed like his entire tenure there. More so this season, as it seemed inevitable that he would be moved as the team bought out Blake Griffin and shifted towards a full-blown youth movement.
That made it no surprise when the Tom Thibodeau coached New York Knicks traded for Rose before the deadline. Rose wore No. 25 during his first stint with the Knicks in 2016, but with that number occupied by Reggie Bullock, the guard switched over to No. 4. When asked about why he chose that number, the former MVP gave a compelling answer. Transcribed by the New York Post’s Pete Botte:
"“Four, my birthday is on the fourth [of October]. Me and my closest guys, my friends, there’s four of us. My mom had four kids, my daughter’s birthday is on the fourth,” Rose said this week. “If you look in the Bible, on the fourth day, I don’t want to get into all of that, but if you look at the fourth day, it was all about creation.”"
Given New York’s abundance of bodies in the backcourt, his fit seemed abnormal at first glance, but reuniting with Rose yet again was clearly a move that Thibodeau was lobbying for the team to make. After 29 games with the club, it is clear to see that those concerns have faded away significantly as the guard has been a great fit off the bench by averaging 14.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
Furthermore, the Knicks have returned to relevancy this season as it appears they will make the playoffs for the first time since 2013 as the team has recently clinched their first winning season in eight years. Barring a massive collapse, it will be Rose’s first trip to the postseason since 2018, his reunion season with Thibodeau in Minnesota.
The connection between these two seemingly goes far beyond basketball, and seeing them thrive with the Knicks has been quite the spectacle. The Knicks are now 21-8 since acquiring Rose, and this could be just the beginning.