Chicago Bulls Almost Passed On Drafting Derrick Rose Because Of His Brother’s Criminal Past: “They’re Gonna Deny This”

The Chicago Bulls almost made a massive mistake and not draft Derrick Rose in 2008 because of Rose's brother's criminal past.

3 Min Read

Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls haven’t enjoyed a lot of success since the retirement of Michael Jordan, with the team easily being one of the most disappointing big market teams of the last 20 years. However, the Bulls had a few amazing years where they contended atop the East in the 2010s, led by 2008 Draft No. 1 pick Derrick Rose.

The Bulls picking Rose changed the course of the franchise. Rose became the league’s youngest MVP ever and started helping the Bulls make regular pushes to the Conference Finals, just for a LeBron James-led team to stop them in their tracks, be it Miami or Cleveland. 

Rose revealed that the Bulls actually almost chose Michael Beasley instead of him because of the criminal past of Rose’s brother.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O79geGhO9Ac

“I am at dinner, it’s the night before the draft. The Bulls call my brother, and they’re gonna deny this, but they call my brother and some sh*t come up with some background. Like, ‘your brother was arrested blah blah blah, what’s going on?’ I am sick because I’m like ‘y’all drafting me, not my brother.’ I get off the table and I am sick, I have to walk out, I am crying and sh*t because I wanted to number one. My brother come out and he was frustrated because this happened in the past, like it’s nothing I could do about it…  He saw that I was hurt and how bad I wanted to go number one, so we out here going through it bro. But at the end, I was like ‘f*ck it, if they don’t pick us, we’re gonna go to Miami and we’re gonna do the same thing.” 

Injuries would cut Rose’s prime heartbreakingly short as the fan favorite would almost lose his spot in the league before a late-career resurgence that has seen him have good stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and New York Knicks.


What If The Bulls Passed On Rose?

The 2008 Draft would have given the Bulls options outside of Rose as well, it’s just that those options didn’t make as much sense as Rose. No. 4 pick Russell Westbrook had a similar skill set but Rose was the clearly better prospect heading into the Draft. 

Other options like Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, or OJ Mayo just wouldn’t;t have worked out as well as Rose for a variety of reasons. Beasley’s career was marked with inconsistency, Mayo was a bust, and Love has had a solid career, but Rose’s prime was much bigger than Love’s prime.

Rose is also from Chicago, so it’s good that the Bulls didn’t mess up the perfect draft situation that they received in 2008. Sadly, Rose’s Bulls could never bring a championship to the team.  

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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