Monday, December 5th, 2011 at 10:50 am  |  77 responses

Derrick Rose Took Kobe Bryant’s Advice to Develop a Post Game


DRose took Bean’s advice to heart, and worked hard to develop a post game this offseason/lockout. From the Chicago Tribune: “Last December, weeks after he had pulled Derrick Rose aside for an embrace and encouraging words following a Bulls-Lakers matchup in Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant was asked if the gesture represented a passing of the torch. ‘I ain’t passing (expletive),’ Bryant famously said. Rose, of course, loved this comment, telling the Tribune: ‘I look at myself like an old-school player. Back in the day, players really went at each other. His mentality is great.’ Come Christmas Day, Bryant again will show Rose respect by trying not only to win the season opener for both teams but to crush Rose’s spirit. Rose will return the favor. It’s what assassins do, those unique players driven to win at all costs. Bryant always has recognized this dynamic in Rose, which is why he pulled the 23-year-old aside at last July’s exhibition in the Philippines and offered him more pointers. Improve your post game. Find the areas on the floor where double-teaming is more difficult. Seek championships. Rose took Bryant’s advice to heart — and to the court. ‘I worked on my post-up game, my isolation game, working at the elbows, trying to get fouled and get into the lane and put pressure on the defense,’ Rose said. ‘I’m trying to do better than last year. That was a good season, but it’s last year. Only a championship will do.’”

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  • http://nba.com GP23

    That’s cool… now improve the consistency of your jumpshots, and you will be one unstoppable point guard.

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    DRose really has the right mindset.

  • @DEKNOWZ

    He’s gonna run this league soon, He’s like the Anti-LeBron.

  • bdogg

    he develops a consistent jumpshot and hie 3-pt pecentage increases..he is probably the strongest pg in the game.. he will be a beast on the block..the mamba is 100% on!!! they will be teammates come july 2012…go for gold!!!

  • 23

    Bryant passing the torch??? Uhhh I’m pretty sure lebron has been running with that torch for the past several years! Lebron tore up chicago last year in the playoffs.But lebrons ugly finals performance overshadows the chicago series and his overall talent

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    I feel like Rose shouldn’t get too ahead of himself. A post game is all well and good, but really master that shot properly before you put too much time into it. Learning to avoid double-teams etc though is good.

  • Bt

    @23 – Kobe has the torch until someone definitively grabs it off him, which lebron, rose or anyone else has yet to do. You can’t grab the torch until you win championships. Magic and Larry had the torch then Jordan, then Hakeem, then Jordan, then shaw, then Duncan, then Kobe, then ……

    See what they all have in common – championships

  • Bt

    @23 – Kobe has the torch until someone definitively grabs it off him, which lebron, rose or anyone else has yet to do. You can’t grab the torch until you win championships. Magic and Larry had the torch then Jordan, then Hakeem, then Jordan, then shaq, then Duncan, then Kobe, then ……

    See what they all have in common – championships

  • Bt

    Shaq*

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    @23; “several years”? pretty sure the last two years before 2010-2011 Kobe was running with that torch to championships. He’s definitely passed him now, but it took a lot longer than it should have.

  • 23

    Kobe had the advantage of having a pro baller as a father who mentored him and gave him the right mindset. Kobe was also lucky enough to be traded to the lakers after the hornets drafted him. kobe then, was blessed with phil, shaq and company to win 3 chips. Then it was just unfair when the lakers got gasol. Kobe is a damn hard worker, but he also had a lot of luck on his side. While lebron SINGLE HANDEDLY willed his cavaliers to the nba finals. Yes he laid an egg last year. But you can’t base greatness on rings alone. Chauncey billups or tony parker never owned the torch of the best player, yet they both have a finals mvp…. just sayin, championships are a TEAM accomplishment, you can’t really base individual greatness with team accomplishments.

  • matt

    hell yea. while he is already in the top 3, and easily the best point guard in the L…derrick rose will establish himself as the clear cut best player in the league this season

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Kobe, to have a torch, if your not the best in the league anymore, you have to win atleast 1 playoff game every year, minimum.

  • LA Huey

    Man, I hate the Bulls but if Rose starts operating in the post, it’ll make me appreciate him just a bit more for reminding me of the days with The Glove doing his thing on the low block.

  • DieselMechanic

    @nbk he won four in 2011…Of all the ppl who claimed to have picked up a post game this offseason, I actually believe D-Rose for some reason.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I meant in each series* (my bad) which was a joke. He doesn’t have the torch right now no matter what.

  • Riggs

    sorry but he isnt “easily the top point guard in the league”, and im a huge fan of his.

  • bashmo

    @23 Exactly. TO base a player in the league today on the rings they have won is not relevant because it is a team accomplishment. Kobe has not been the best player in the league since maybe 06-07-08. Lebron since then has undisputedly been the best overall basketball player in the L. Just because his TEAM hasnt won a championship does not mean his individual talent should be smothered.

    AS far as rose developing a post game, thats all good, however, i would like Rose to shoot less and look to raise his team’s level of play even more than he did last year, assuming Chicago picks up a good option for the 2 guard position.

  • robb

    He actually improved his shooting last season his 3 pt improved 50% or so.

  • DuckTape The Mob

    @nbk You don’t get tired of the same Ole “I Hate Kobe” post?

    I mean It has gotten you nowhere……..You still watch Kobe’s every move…………..A real hater doesn’t mention or pay attention to the person they “hate” so much!

    If you gon Hate do it the right way!

    @23 So it’s Kobe and His Father’s Fault Lebron is a Deadbeat in the 4th quarter of the Finals?………..Stop making excuses for Lebron I don’t think he need you as an advisor.

  • http://www.offthebackboard.wordpress.com OTB

    You guys are missing the point with all this torch stuff. The difference between Rose and Lebron is that Rose essentially thinks the same way as Kobe, in terms of the importance of winning at all costs, improving early and often, and possessing the mentality where you want to rip your opponent’s heart out (I know that seems like a played out notion, but how many athletes can you think of that actually act/feel that way?. Lebron is a better player than both, but we’re 8 years into his career and we still haven’t figured out if he’s a ruthless competitor or just a HOF player who doesn’t mind winning as long as his team resembles his high school team filled with his best buddies.

    There’s a story about Rose’s pre-draft interview on the web, as reported by Pro Basketball Talk, wherein he and Beasley were both interviewed by Bulls management. When asked “What about college basketball bothered you most?” Beasley contemplated for a moment and said, “When you go on the road and the referees make bad calls.”. Rose, on the other hand, simply said “Losing.” That mentality makes a big difference in a player’s career because they’ll be willing to work that much harder to improve themselves day in and day out. It is why Rose went from #1 draft pick to MVP in the span of 3 years.

  • http://www.offthebackboard.wordpress.com OTB

    And quite honestly, Kobe had the “best player” torch from 06-08 or so in terms of being the best player. He lost the championship torch last year to Dirk.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    He improved his three point shooting by 19 percent. Great improvement, but not 50 percent. Just for the record. And he still shot 33 percent in the end.

  • http://www.offthebackboard.wordpress.com OTB

    OTB, pretty sure Lebron nearly destroyed his image last year in order to join a team that could win a championship. Meanwhile when he was on the Cavs that team won more than it had any right to do. Finally, how has Lebron not improved his game by leaps and bounds since entering the league? His midrange jumper is money now and he’s arguably the league’s best defender.

  • DieselMechanic

    It looks like it will have to be a co-torch down in Miami. Two handles? One flame?

  • http://www.offthebackboard.wordpress.com OTB

    Real OTB here: I didn’t write the comment at 1:59. Lebron has improved his game, I never insinuated he didn’t. Simply pointed out that Rose’s rate of of development and how he looks at the game in general (as more than a supplement/partner to business opportunities) is going to benefit him throughout his career.

  • Red

    I agree Rose has the Torch now & this year will become the best player in the league.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Is OTB having some sort of schizo moment?

  • dahon

    he needs to improve his D and passing skills…he attract a lot of defenders this season…

  • Reals

    ITS A TRICK DONT DO IT. HES TRYNA THRO DROSE OFF HIS GAME

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Whoa….Someone just said LeBron is the best defender in the League… whoa

  • robb

    @Allenp my bad I wrote last season when Rose actually improved his accuracy almost 50% over the last two seasons as reported by sportscience

  • http://redoftoothandclaw.ca/ niQ

    Y’all are sleeping. The best is none other than Mr. Brian Scalabrine himself!

  • Everynowhere

    @ducktale so that means nbk isn’t a hater by your logic. someone has to point out what laker fans like to selectively forget. And i agree with OTB comment at 1:13. if d.rose adopted kobe’s mentality then expect him to learn from his mistakes last playoffs and become a better player.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    You’re right about his percentage from his rookie year. Then again, he was shooting 22 percent from three as a rookie. I thought his three pointer was amazing early in the year, the improvement I mean, but then I thought he shot a few too man late.
    It reminded me of Iverson in his prime. When you’re as good off the bounce as Rose, taking a three pointer off the bounce is actually bailing the defense out most of the time.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    His post game will allow him not to rely on a jumpshot so much. His jumpshot has never been bad besides last years playoffs but people dont take into account that he sprained his ankle, Twice.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Today’s perimeter greats take too many 3s.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDNFKaq5vqw nbk

    Today’s great penetrate-rs (no homo) take too many 3′s. Guys that can shoot, should. It’s definitely better than 16-20 footers.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    You’re right.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDNFKaq5vqw nbk

    we both right. I knew what you meant. I just think like Kevin Durant would be better served to shoot 3′s or drive to the hoop. Not that dribble dribble step-back 21 footer sh*t.

  • http://www.slamonline.com biged

    im cheering for Rose this season. Regardless of whose the overall number one its always good to see a player who countinues to work at his game every year and learn from others who are more experience than him instead of calling them all haters like Lebron does. Everyone that critisize his game is a hater. He should be a well rounded player by now and he is NOT. By the time Rose is in his 8th year he will most likely be good at every single factor in the game.

  • ab40

    LeBron was the anti-Kobe a few years ago. I can’t wait to see how they’re gonna play this season. I heard Wilbon on espn say kobe is jumping again like the early 00′s

  • Maniac

    I was going to comment on the whole “torch” thing, but I think I can go today without getting called a Kobe lover lol. I’ll just say this… Whomever thinks Kobe wasn’t the best since last year needs a serious reality check. Kobe has been the best player in the league since 06 (top 5 since 01 arguably), with LeBron becoming 1A in 09. Last year wasn’t so great for Kobe and it’s clear LeBron is the best right now. As far as the torch thing, Kobe still has it. You can’t label the “torch” with ‘x’ amount of championships or definite player in the league. The torch is more about respect, popularity, and legacy (takes into account championships and etc…) more than anything. Jordan was the best in the league in the late 80s, but Magic and Larry still had the torch. Catch my drift? Kobe is still somewhere at the top along with Bron, Wade, Rose, Durant… but I guarantee that all those guys look up to him. He’s still big brother right now and that’s the way it should be until he passes it or one of them forces it out of his hands. That has nothing to do with how I feel about Kobe, that’s just the truth.

  • bike

    Post game is fine but D-Rose ought to really concentrate and a stop and pop 15 to 18 foot jumper a la Jordan. Man, he has got the first step, head and shoulder fake, and explosion to be unstoppable for that kind of move.

  • http://slamonline.com greg

    more importantly he needs to learn to read defenses a little better, i dont believe he is not a good passer im just saying the bulls watch him dribble too much and dont get involved in the play buy screening each other or cutting. if that is going on around rose and he has the ablility to catch them most of the time like rondo paul or nash, we are talking about one of the best ever to play, just needs to watch the film and approach the game in more of a cerebral manner, but that will come with age.

  • http://shinefluid@aol.com yada

    yall talk like yall coaches or some sh*t. yall dont sh*t about no ball. u just watch

  • http://bedotwater.bandcamp.com BE.water

    ^more like people who have played the game, watch the game, study the game… if you dont like it, go post at espn.com …everyone is a genius there.

  • LA Huey

    I like what Maniac said.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Maybe some of us are. Maybe not. Maybe you are the smartest by sayin nobody knows anything about ball. Or maybe your the dumbest. Or just maybe, you are a walruss.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    To what Maniac said, Dr J had the torch for a very long time without winning. The best most polarizing player in the league is who I consider to be “holding the torch” – other than the difference in opinion I agree with the majority of what you said.

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