With a driving layup late in the third quarter in the Wolves’ loss in Philly on Tuesday, Derrick Rose scored his 10,000th NBA point. It’s the latest milestone in a years-long journey back to health and success on the NBA court. In a bench role for the Wolves, Rose has thrived—regaining the speed and quickness that defined the early years of his career and redefining his game to fit the Wolves’ needs.
Given Rose’s injury history, reaching 10,000 points is a significant accomplishment. Though this is technically Rose’s 11th season in the NBA, he lost upwards of four seasons that were either cut short or eliminated entirely due to injury.
Rose has fought his way through injury rehab and back into the league and is in the midst of his best season since the 2011-12 campaign. He’s averaging 18.9 points and 4.8 assists for the Wolves while shooting 48.6 percent from the field (the second-best mark of his career) and a career-high 46.8 percent from three. Rose has never before shot over 34 percent from beyond the arc.
While his individual progress has been instrumental, Rose’s resurgence this year has been due in large part to his willingness to accept and embrace a supporting role on a Wolves team loaded with young talent. Former superstars often struggle to adjust their games when cast into less-featured roles, but Rose has stepped up to the challenge. The growth of his three-point shot came from a recognition that one of the Wolves’ areas of greatest need is shooting, and he’s emerged as a locker room leader for Minnesota and a mentor to his younger teammates.
Given the way that Rose has changed his game, it’s certainly possible that he plays many more successful years in the league. With the support of teammates and fans, he has a legitimate shot at making it back to the All-Star Game this year as well. If you want to be part of that return, you can vote for him here.