Derrick Rose’s inspiration from visiting Michael Jordan’s house

Detroit Pistons point guard Derrick Rose reminisces about the time that he visited Michael Jordan’s estate, and the inspiration it gave him.

Growing up in Chicago provided (now with the Detroit Pistons) Derrick Rose the ultimate motivation with the greatest player ever rocking the rims in his hometown.

However, Rose has said on several occasions that he wasn’t an avid fan growing up considering he was just 10 years old when Michael Jordan won his last championship.

Instead of watching every game, Rose was at various Chicago parks focusing on turning his dreams into a reality to be like Mike.

“I didn’t know what time the Chicago Bulls played,” Rose said at a mental wellness panel held in Chicago in February.

“I knew that it came on at a certain time because my family members would surround the TV to watch the games, but I would be outside just on the court working out or just somewhere working on my craft.”

Even though the son of Chicago didn’t watch Jordan play on a regular basis, he still drew inspiration from MJ.  In a recent social media post, Rose detailed a story that had never been told about visiting Jordan’s house in high school.

“Oh man, growing up in Chi I had a chance to go over to MJ’s crib when I was younger like in high school […] I remember when they asked me I couldn’t believe it,” Rose said.

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“The day before I’m nervous […] I just remember getting to the gate, you see the 23 on the gate.

“The gate opens, we’re driving and you see this impeccable landscape.  You keep driving up the driveway and you see a speed sign. That blew me away like, ‘Wow he got a speed sign in his driveway.’”

Rose went on to describe what he called a palace and complex, along with six Bentley’s that he said blew him away.  The best surprise yet was still in store.

“The whole time I’m thinking I’m not gonna see MJ […] We entered the door where the gym was and they [including Jordan] were in there hoopin’.”

Rose like every other fan was fascinated by the mystique of Jordan as he watched his every move.

“That whole time I watched him every second while I was there.  Like watching him the entire time. Watching him be a dad.  Watching him take out garbage.  Like things I thought I’d never be able to see, but I got that opportunity.”

Rose went on to describe going from the lavish lifestyle back to his house on the south side of Chicago, saying, “What am I doing here.”  From that point on Rose was determined to get his family out of poverty through the game of basketball.

“I’m gonna get that lifestyle.  My mom is gonna live decent.  Whatever I gotta do, I gotta do it.  I promised myself that night that I was gonna be on a mission.  Me seeing that with MJ giving me that opportunity, it let me manifest my dream from what I saw. So I appreciate that MJ.”

The sacrifice that Rose put in working on his game away from his family watching the Bulls games led him to become only the second MVP in Bulls history alongside Jordan.

Little did Jordan know that there was this high school kid by the name of Derrick Rose in his house that day who would go on to bring Bulls basketball back to the forefront.