Derrick Rose had a brief yet remarkable run with the Detroit Pistons . Many fans have already written him off, but D-Rose proved that he still had it. One of those who recognized Rose's resurgence in Detroit was Pistons legend Isiah Thomas .
For Zeke, what Rose showed during his short stint with the Pistons was the MVP DNA he always possessed. While it was a treat for the Pistons faithful, Thomas noted that it was bittersweet for D-Rose.
"I wasn't surprised," Thomas told The Detroit News of Rose's performances. "The problem is that he had set the bar so high as the MVP at 19 [Rose was actually 22 years old when he won the MVP award], and then after the knee injury, everybody wondered whether he could get back to that. He was the only person who was ever that. Can he get back to where nobody else was? In the three or four years after his injuries, he was still giving you 18 (points) and 5 (assists); it wasn't like he was a scrub."
In his debut season with the Pistons, D-Rose averaged 18.1 points and 5.6 assists per game. His explosiveness was no longer there for obvious reasons, but Thomas admired how the 2011 NBA MVP showcased his other traits during the Detroit stint.
According to Thomas, Rose proved that he was made for Pistons basketball and culture. At the time, Isiah even fancied seeing the Pistons build around D-Rose even though the former Chicago Bulls superstar was no longer in his athletic prime.
"I thought Detroit would like him and embrace him and vice versa because his game fits Detroit," Zeke added of Rose. "I'm not surprised at the season he had and the professionalism he exhibited. He was playing hard, not taking nights off and playing all hard minutes… He fits what Detroit is all about. You want young players around him."
Even though Rose was having a great season with the Pistons as a sixth man, Detroit eventually traded him back to the New York Knicks before the 2021 trade deadline.
After parting ways with the Pistons, D-Rose went on to play three more seasons in the NBA before officially calling it quits. Just like Thomas, Rose is revered by both Chicagoans and Detroiters.
In a separate discussion, Zeke was even asked who he thinks is better between him and D-Rose in their primes. According to Thomas, they were both great, but they had different styles and approaches to the game.
"I always look at it this way, I had my time. During my time, I did my thing, and then when your thing is over, it's time for somebody else to step on the stage, and the guys who step on the stage, you just want them to step on the stage and be real with it and put it down, and D-Rose was real and [he] put it down," Thomas concluded .
"Now, who's the best? I don't know," he continued. "But I do know this. He jumped higher than me [laughs]."
Derrick was never able to return to his prime form, but many still hold him in high esteem for his incredible performances prior to ACL injury. Today, D-Rose is considered one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, alongside Thomas, and his NBA legacy remains strong, especially in the Windy City.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
