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Sam Smith: Rose's All-Star status vital to Bulls' future
Press Release: Rose named to 2010 Eastern Conference All-Star team
NBA.com: Nowitzki leads parade of reserves to Dallas
Congratulations, Derrick Rose, NBA All-Star!
Audio--Rose and Bulls Head Coach Vinny Del Negro on the All-Star selection (01.28.10):
January 28, 2010—Bulls guard and Chicago native Derrick Rose has been named as a reserve on the Eastern Conference All-Star team, which will play in the 59th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010.
“I was in awe just thinking about it,” said Rose after the announcement was formally made on TNT. “I’m happy for the organization and I know they’re happy for me. My teammates, I wouldn’t be here without them. The coaching staff has been doing a good job. I’m just in awe right now.”
Rose becomes the first Bulls player to attain All-Star status since Michael Jordan in 1998.
“Mike is a legend in Chicago and a legend in the NBA,” said Rose. “For me to have the opportunity of being an All-Star right behind him, it feels good.”
With averages of 19.8 points, 5.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game on the season, the second-year point guard’s slow start due to an ankle injury is a distant memory.
“That was my first serious injury,” he said. “I didn’t know how long it was going to take me to really get back to my regular way of playing. But I kept getting treatment, stayed off it a little bit, and it just went away.”
That it did. Over his last four games—road wins against the Suns, Rockets, Spurs and Thunder—Rose has posted averages of 26.3 points, 5.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.
“We, as an organization, are absolutely thrilled for Derrick,” said Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “He is truly deserving of being an All-Star, and I couldn’t be happier that all of his hard work and dedication have paid off in getting to this point, as a player in only his second season. Perhaps more importantly, it speaks volumes about Derrick as a person and the family that he comes from. We know we can count on Derrick to represent the Bulls and the city of Chicago with a great deal of dignity and pride.”
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The All-Star Game will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages. It will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before an expected crowd of more than 80,000—the largest group ever to witness a live basketball game.
“This is not a one-time All-Star deal for Derrick,” said Bulls Head Coach Vinny Del Negro. “I expect him to continually evolve his game in all aspects. I know how hard he has worked and how coachable he is, and he’s about the right stuff. It’s just great not only for Derrick, but his teammates, the organization, the fans and the city of Chicago. This is just another step in the right direction for the organization as we move forward and get back to the level that I feel the Bulls should be at.”
For Rose, it will be a busy weekend, as he will also defend his Taco Bell Skills Challenge title on Saturday, Feb. 13, 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Rose of the opportunity. “Last year, it was a great experience being there with my family. Just having the opportunity to be around the All-Stars; I can’t lie, it was fun. I appreciated that opportunity because it was so unbelievable.”
On Wednesday, Rose was among 18 players selected for the 2010 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam to be held on Friday, Feb. 12 in Dallas during NBA All-Star 2010. Bulls forward Taj Gibson was named to the Rookie team. The participants in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam were selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot.
In selecting the All-Star reserves, the 30 NBA head coaches voted for seven players within their conference, including two guards, two forwards, a center and two players regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their team. If a reserve selected by the coaches is unable to participate in the All-Star Game, NBA commissioner David Stern will select a replacement.
The East and West All-Star coaches and coaching staffs will be determined by the best record in each conference through the games of Jan. 31. Last year's East and West coaches—Cleveland's Mike Brown and the L.A. Lakers' Phil Jackson—are not eligible to coach this year's All-Star Game.
By Adam Fluck
More on Derrick Rose:
Rose's increased production
After a slow start to the year due to an ankle injury he suffered during the preseason, Rose increased his production in December, and has continued his ascension into the New Year. He has scored in double figures in 26 of the last 27 games, including 20 or more points in 16 games, which was highlighted by a career-high 37 points in Chicago’s win over Washington on Jan. 15. Here’s a monthly breakdown of Rose’s improvement on the year.
