“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”- John Wooden
Derrick Rose isn’t like most superstar athletes people.
Derrick Rose was born in the belly of the beast, the south side of Chicago, Illinois, and he still remembers.
He remembers the poverty, the struggle, the downs — which for some reason always seemed to outnumber the ups — and the senseless violence.
In the past, he’s been mocked for his unflinchingly stoic disposition. But when compared to the way he approaches the game of basketball, the connection between the attitude and the man quickly becomes crystal clear.
Derrick Rose is a straight shooter, literally and figuratively.
So it should have come as no surprise that Rose made little effort to appease or entertain LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the dog & pony show that was the NBA’s “Summer of 2010”.
Sidebar: And you may recall he didn’t care for King James’ dance routine at the 2012 All-Star Game.
And Rose’s public breakdown during the release of his new Adidas sneaker last summer only served to echo the belief that there is much more to this man than meets the eye.
As a young man of great influence and substance in a city in upheaval, it was the 23-year-old Rose who spoke out about about the Chicago teacher’s strike last year. It was also Rose who reportedly paid for the funeral of aspiring Chicago rapper Lil Jo Jo in this past September.
Sidebar: You may remember Lil Jo Jo was shot and killed while riding his bike in the streets of Chi-Town. Jo Jo was allegedly a target of fellow Windy City rapper Chief Keef, who’s hit “I Don’t Like” would be famously remixed by Kanye West. In an ultimate act of disgrace, a violent altercation broke out at Lil Jo Jo’s funeral.
And yet again, in the wake of the tragic murder of a six-month-old baby, it was Rose that put the city on his back by reportedly offering to cover the costs of the services for little Johnylah Watkins. Watkins was struck five times while her father (shot three times, but recovering) changed her diaper in the neighborhood of Woodlawn on the South Side earlier this week.
Derrick Rose not only understands the responsibilities of being a star athlete, but he understands the importance of community and his role within it. As these small gesture continue to build, people should (with any hope) begin to take pride in their community once again, specifically within Chicago.
The statistics are staggering. In 2012 alone, Chicago saw over 2,400 shootings and nation-high 500 plus homicides. Over 40 people were gunned down in January 2013. If this great city is ever going to recover from the genocide that is currently ripping it to pieces, other leaders besides Rose and Lupe Fiasco are going to have to voice their outrage. Can you imagine if those same acts of violence were taking place in suburban Chicago, or in the surrounding affluent communities of any major city in America? It certainty wouldn’t have gone unaddressed for as long as this plague has.
Sidebar: See Lupe’s tribute to Johnylah below.
About 20 years ago, Charles Barkley famously said “I am not a role model”, and he was absolutely correct. It is not the duty of any singular professional athlete to live their life in a way that parents and educators — who are not up to the task — should consistently rely on for support. However, athletes of today have far too often taken Barkley’s credo and run with it, going out of their way to duck any and all involvement in social and political happenings.
On the contrary, Rose has embraced this challenge by showing true leadership, just like he has since his days as a prep star at Simeon Career Academy (he’s outdoing most of his peers just by watching the news!). That same demeanor led Rose to a National Championship Game appearance in his one year at the University of Memphis, to the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, to the 2011 NBA MVP award and to his spot as this generation’s Allen Iverson.
Sidebar: And is there any doubt about how he’ll bounce back from his knee injury?
It’s easy to be “all in” on Derrick Rose because Derrick Rose is “all in” on his people. Coach Wooden’s stance on reputation and character is one that needs to be internalized by most superstar athletes.
Fortunately for Chicago, Derrick Rose isn’t like most superstar athletes people.
Rest In Peace Johnylah Watkins.