Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose go way back. The Chicago Bulls drafted Rose with the #1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, and Gibson followed as the 26th pick in 2009. They were teammates for seven seasons, and shared lots of good times under the tutelage of former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. After a disappointing first season under the new regime of Fred Hoiberg, Chicago’s front office decided a change was needed. They traded Rose to the New York Knicks last summer, but Taj stayed.
Looking back, that sequence of events seems so unlikely. Rose was the league MVP, leading the way for rising championship contenders. Gibson was just a role player whose name dropped hourly in trade rumors every season. But after they reached the conference finals in 2011, Rose’s career took a disastrous turn with multiple knee injuries. The Bulls haven’t reached the conference finals since, and Gibson is the only player left from that 2010-11 squad.
Misunderstood
Along with Joakim Noah, who followed his buddy “Pooh” to New York, Gibson was always one of Rose’s most vocal supporters throughout all of the injuries. While they may not be on the same team anymore, that hasn’t changed. Taj spoke to the media earlier today at the team’s shootaround in New York, where they’ll face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden tonight. Knowing that Rose has taken lots of heat for his most recent PR disaster, Gibson came out boldly to defend his former teammate. Simply, Taj thinks Derrick is misunderstood.
“A lot of people misunderstand [Derrick] because he’s really one of the best, one of the greatest dudes I’ve ever been around. Off the court, personally. On the court, he’s a great guy. He’s never been negative. He’s never been, as you say, a hater. He IS just an awesome dude, man. For real.” – Taj Gibson
Gibson, who hasn’t spoken to Rose since his disappearance episode earlier this week, said he was surprised and concerned when he heard the news.
“I was surprised just like anybody else. It’s really hard to go missing in the NBA because you got so many people that’s going to check on you from agent, staff, general managers, teammates, so it’s really tough, but you never know. Things happen.” – Taj Gibson
Derrick Being Derrick
As for Rose’s current struggles with the New York media and the constant public criticism he faces as a worn out has-been in the NBA, Gibson insisted that he’s just marching to the beat of his own drummer. Public image be damned.
“I feel Derrick has grown into his own. He doesn’t really care what people think anymore. Some players tend to go out and just say things because they know what fans want to hear. He’s coming at you real, telling you how he feels. Because that kid’s been through a lot, hurting both knees, having [all of] Chicago on his back from time to time…I’ve been around him for a long time, and I’m proud of him. He’s going to take some critical hits sometimes, but he’s just being himself.” – Taj Gibson
Plenty of Haters
Right now, “being himself” isn’t winning Rose any new fans. Some of those who stuck by him through his injuries wavered when Jimmy Butler elevated his game and stole the spotlight. Others couldn’t defend him when he was accused of gang rape and went through an ugly trial in the public eye. This latest incident as a member of the Knicks, an emotional or mental breakdown or whatever it was, has haters coming at Rose from all directions. Then a New York reporter leaked that Derrick wants a max deal as a free agent this summer, and the haters kept piling on.
And yet, there was Taj. Holding strong to his belief that his friend Derrick is a great guy. A misunderstood guy who’s had a string of rotten luck. Hopefully Gibson and Rose, as well as Joakim, find a moment to catch up before tipoff between the Bulls and Knicks tonight. A lot has happened since they parted ways, and a chat with an old friend can do wonders for an aching heart or preoccupied mind.
