Not many players are able to make the transition of being 'the man' to a role player. Their ego, and the way they've been used to play the game for years, can end up condemning their NBA careers to an early death.
On the other hand, those veterans who are able to embrace a different role on their new teams are so valuable in the locker room. They understand that they can help the team in different ways, even if they're not putting up huge numbers as they used to do.
That's why Derrick Rose has been able to take his career back from the ground. He knows he's no longer a go-to-guy but does all the little things that help a team win basketball games, and he was a massive pickup for the New York Knicks.
Derrick Rose Says His First Stint With The Knicks Changed His Career
And, even though his first tenure at the Madison Square Garden wasn't exactly successful, Rose says that playing behind Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis and not being the first scoring option for the first time in his career helped him shape his game and stay in the league:
“I think I’m doing a decent job. Look at the fact that when I came here the first time with Me and KP that I was the third option, and I think that helped me, helped my game, helped me figure out how can I still affect the game being the third option. That was the first time in my career that I was put in that position. I think I did a decent job. That carried on to me going to different teams and just playing my game and finding ways to affect the game in different ways," Rose told The Athletic.
Certainly, that was a turning point in Rose's career. He took the punches to the chin and stood up, coming back stronger than ever, and he didn't let his ego get in the way. He went from being an MVP and Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Bulls to coming off the bench, and he's now one of the best Sixth Men in the league.
