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Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose with Barangay Ginebra's RJ Abarrientos and Scottie Thompson in a visit to Manila, September 18, 2025. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News

Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose with Barangay Ginebra's RJ Abarrientos and Scottie Thompson in a visit to Manila, September 18, 2025.

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Derrick Rose

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758256710379viber_image_2025-09-18_23-11-44-993.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose with Barangay Ginebra&#x27;s RJ Abarrientos and Scottie Thompson in a visit to Manila, September 18, 2025. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News"/>Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose with Barangay Ginebra&#x27;s RJ Abarrientos and Scottie Thompson in a visit to Manila, September 18, 2025. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- Having now twice visited the Philippines, Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose has seen and felt how much Filipinos love basketball. But as passionate as Filipinos are about the sport, no homegrown player has yet to make the NBA.Rose believes height is just one part of the formula in achieving the NBA dream.&quot;I mean, you&#x27;ll find a way. I mean, there&#x27;s guys now that&#x27;s, I mean, you got [Atlanta guard] Trae Young that&#x27;s short, you would say. There are guys that&#x27;s short that can make it,&quot; Rose told ABS-CBN News.&quot;But it&#x27;s about how hard or the work that you put in and sometimes luck plays a role too. So keep dreaming, believing in yourself or knowing that you&#x27;re going to make it. And hopefully it comes true,&quot; he said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/9/19/derrick-rose-cherishes-same-filipino-love-in-return-to-manila-1225">READ: Derrick Rose cherishes &#x27;same Filipino love&#x27; in return to Manila</a></div>During the exclusive event with dozens of lucky fans on Thursday, Rose shared advice to aspiring players and those trying out something new in life. &quot;So whatever you’re in right now, I know it’s hard especially when you’re starting off your craft, trying to figure out your craft. You may have a lot of failures because you’re trying to figure things out. But at the same time, it’s your perspective on it. Where you gotta go through the hard things early on. You can’t rush it,&quot; he said. He emphasized the importance of hard work, staying focused and sacrificing in achieving one&#x27;s goals.&quot;I would say what are you sacrificing? Like I said, what are you giving up? You just can’t, you just not going to get to your dreams by just walking there. Or by doing what you’re doing. Are you gonna give up partying? Are you gonna give up girls? Are you gonna give up boys? You have to make a big move to get to your dreams,&quot; Rose said.&quot;Everybody looked at me crazy. But you have to get used to everybody looking at you like you’re the nut of the family. But in your mind, you know what your dreams are and where you wanna go... Sacrifice, have discipline and you have to know you will make it,&quot; he added.During his 16-year NBA career, Rose always led by example and by action through putting in the work on and off the court. He wants to instill this mindset to the younger generation of players. &quot;I tell the kids, when they get to the league, make sure you give your all, your all, because your peers, for one, your peers, they see it and they can respect it. And for two, the people that&#x27;s observing the game and fans that&#x27;s observing the game, they can tell, y&#x27;all can tell somebody that&#x27;s listening,&quot; he said.When asked about where he got his confidence early in his career, Rose said it&#x27;s all about self-belief, quietly working towards your goals and not being afraid of failure.&quot;I feel like when I was younger I knew who I was at a young age. I feel like I didn&#x27;t have to impress people I felt like I could go in the room and be quiet and still have the same respect as someone that that was loud or verbose and I knew that with me having that discipline or understanding that I could make it far so I feel like that&#x27;s where it came from,&quot; he said.Rose also shared his mindset towards scoring that historic career-high 50 points in the Minnesota Timberwolves win over the Utah Jazz last October 2018.&quot;You have to be delusional to make it or to make it in the craft or whatever craft you pick... If I didn&#x27;t have that game, I probably would have been out like a year after that game. So having that game, it reestablished me back in the league and I was able to play an extra, what, six or seven years, five or six years,&quot; he said.The former NBA Most Valuable Player is back in the country after a decade to fulfill his engagements as a brand ambassador. He is looking forward to returning to the Philippines to make more memories with fans, give back and help grow the game.

Having now twice visited the Philippines, Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose has seen and felt how much Filipinos love basketball.

Having now twice visited the Philippines, Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose has seen and felt how much Filipinos love basketball.

For Derrick Rose, making it to the NBA is not just about height

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For Derrick Rose, making it to the NBA is not just about height

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 19, 2025 03:30 PM PHT

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