The Derrick Rose who took a pass from Tyrus Thomas in transition and burst down the floor in Phoenix on Jan. 22, 2010 was different from the D-Rose we know today. Twenty-two years old and in his second NBA season, Rose didn't have to worry about whether his knees would hold up for a full season. The slight 6-foot-3 guard played 78 games that season, in the middle of a three-year stretch in which he missed just six regular-season games.
That Derrick Rose, the reigning rookie of the year, was developing a reputation as one of the game's best young stars with elite quickness and explosive leaping ability.