No one deserves success more than DeMar DeRozan

Championships aren’t handed out in December, and in a seven-game series, you still would have to favor the singular talent of Kevin Durant in particular.

That being said, DeMar DeRozan is thriving as the veteran All-Star who is both proving people wrong and leading by example in equal measure. We haven’t even seen close to the best of Nikola Vucevic yet either, but DeRozan could help to unlock that.

The two played college ball together at USC, and have remained friends ever since. Vucevic’s defensive game can leave a lot to be desired (while also not being as bad as you think), but the potential for the two-man game between him and DeRozan when attacking opponents is something that hasn’t even been fully realized yet.

DeMar DeRozan deserves this success with the Chicago Bulls more than anyone

At this stage of the year, DeRozan has been a top-ten player in the league since the start of the season, and nobody deserves this to happen to them more.

Stephen Curry is blazing the trail in the MVP discussion, with Durant right behind him. After that, DeRozan is one of a handful of players who is currently in the running for the award. Certainly, not a development any of us say coming.

No matter what though, this move to the Bulls has been amazing for DeRozan. He faded into obscurity in San Antonio and watched from afar as the Raptors won a championship.

He improved his game down in Texas, not that anybody was watching, but has brought that back to the brighter lights of the always-talked-about Bulls.

A championship might be a step too far at this point for this group, but the personal redemption of DeRozan is complete. He’s surpassed his previous All-Star best and is sure to be back in the exhibition game later in the season. Their best player since Derrick Rose? Why the hell not.