Derrick Rose Explains How Important Basketball Is For Him: "I Just Have A Pure Love For This Sport, And I Have A Relationship With This Ball, Like That's My First Girlfriend."

Derrick Rose has an emotional explanation of how much he loves the game of basketball.

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Derrick Rose has become one of the most beloved players in NBA history due to his hard work and passion for the game. The New York Knicks point guard hasn't had the easiest career of all, as he could have been a lot greater than he is right now, but Rose doesn't pay much attention to that. 

He loves to play basketball and was always willing to do whatever it took to become better and fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA. Ever since he was young, he knew what he wanted to do in life and never stopped until he achieved it. 

Rose wants to spread wisdom with his words and let young players know what they need to do to make it to the big leagues and be successful as basketball players. It might not work, for everybody, but Rose believes every young player should do what he did to be at the best level.

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Derrick Rose Explains How Important Basketball Is For Him

During a recent appearance on the Math Hoffa show, Rose opened up on how big basketball was for him always and what he used to do that made him the great player he ended up becoming. 

I just have a pure love for this sport, and I have a relationship with this ball, like that's my first girlfriend. That's what I'm telling my son, that gotta be your first girlfriend. Because that's the difference between the 400 players that's in the league and the people that's not in the league. We have a different relationship with the ball that's different than everybody else in the world. And it's because we have that ball in our hip from this high, everywhere you go.

This approach helped D-Rose become a No. 1 overall pick in 2008 and the youngest MVP award winner in NBA history three years later. He was meant to do incredible things in the league, but injuries were ruthless with him, disrupting his development and giving us one of the biggest 'what-ifs' in NBA history. Rose hasn't lost any love for the game, and he's trying to share that joy with the new generation.