I can’t speak for the type of candy you received from your neighbors last night, but if you happened to tune into the Timberwolves vs Jazz game yesterday you would have gotten the best “treat” of the night from Derrick Rose himself.
Everybody loves a comeback story. And last night we were blessed with one of the best comeback stories I can remember over the past several years.
We all know D-Rose was a beast during his one year at Memphis. And then his rise as an elite player in the NBA was immediate and constant leading to the MVP trophy during the 2010-2011 season. That season was also the last time he scored 40+ points in a single game.
Derrick tore his ACL that following season and his road back to the top has been a tumultuous one, full of several injuries and a few personal issues to deal with off the court. But last night all the hard work and dedication to his craft paid off. He finally looked like his old self out there. Electrifying. His handle was jaw dropping, he was attacking the rim, hitting shots and distributing to his teammates. He was also much more talkative than the D-Rose of the past. Encouraging teammates and leading vocally.
He shot 61% from the floor, scored the go-ahead basket and game clinching free throws, and his final point total hit 50. Take a look at his final stat line… ridiculous!
Derrick’s performance on the court was clearly a legendary one, but the lessons learned in the bigger picture are much more important.
Here are 3 Important Lessons that D-Rose Taught the World Last Night:
1. It’s ok to be emotional in public.
As soon as the game ended, he was hounded by his teammates and given more than a standing ovation by the home-town crowd. Derrick immediately got emotional because he knows how much work and dedication went into getting back to where he is now.
Being emotional in general, let alone in public seems to be looked down upon by many today. But if a grown man like D-Rose can do it, that means you can do it to.
2. It’s okay to be proud of yourself.
If you listen to the interview above, a one word answer stands out.
Q: What does it mean to you, Derrick?
A: EVERYTHING.
He continues his answer, “I worked my ass off.”
Sometimes it’s important to recognize yourself in front of others. I don’t care if you are the most humble person in the world, being proud of yourself is an important part of the journey.
3. Anyone can make a comeback if you put in the work.
Derrick has had multiple career threatening injuries and dealt with a handful of off the court situations for about 7 years in a row. Read that again. 7 years! I can only imagine how many days were struggles and how many weeks went by when it was difficult to stay positive.
But if you want it bad enough, persevere long enough, and surround yourself with the right support group, then it’s possible for anyone can make a comeback.
Maybe no one reading this will be lucky enough to score 50 points in an NBA game, but we can at least recognize what it took for Derrick to come back and accomplish something like this.
And more importantly we can take away a few life lessons from one of the best to take the court.