Don't Forget About Derrick Rose

With the emergence of Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry, along with the upcoming 2010 free agency period, the NBA seems to have forgotten about Derrick Rose. Last season, he proved that he was worth the first overall pick. He led the Chicago Bulls back to the playoffs after a lackluster season and they almost took out the defending-champion Boston Celtics. On a nationally-televisied series, Derrick Rose proved that he was a force to be reckoned with.

The Chicago Bulls were expected to do a lot better than they are this season with the return of Luol Deng. While they are not competing for home court advantage this year, they are right there in the playoff hunt. A lot of that has to be credited to the new team captain, Derrick Rose. There is a lot of hype surrounding third-year pro, Kevin Durant, but the NBA media is overlooking Derrick Rose.

Unlike Durant, Rose led his team to the playoffs as a rookie and in his second year, he will probably lead his team back to the NBA Playoffs. Last season, the endorsements lined up for Derrick Rose and he has not disappointed. What has changed is the fact that LeBron James has taken the spotlight with his new teammate in Shaquille O'Neal. Then, Dwyane Wade was let down by his teammates in Miami, while Kobe Bryant is trying to lead his team to another NBA title. With all of this going on and the strong play of Durant, along with the stellar play of the rookies, Evans and Curry, Derrick Rose has been lost in the shuffle.

Of all of the younger players mentioned, Derrick Rose will likely lead his team to a championship before any of the other players. While Evans and Curry are playing well, their teams are not in playoff contention. Durant, on the other hand is in his third season and his team is finally contending for a playoff spot. Not only is Derrick Rose a great player, but he also has good leadership. In his first two seasons in the league, Rose has been one of the youngest players on the Bulls team. It is tough to be the youngest player on the team and then be the team captain. The fact that Derrick Rose has gotten seasoned veterans to come in and listen to him and allow him to lead is an impressive feat. Kevin Durant was given the reigns to a young team, while the rookies are high-scoring rookies on bad teams.

Do not forget about Derrick Rose.