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AGE: 23 |
First comes the physical power: the raw strength that fires somewhere deep inside and explodes in a backboard-rattling thunderslam. Next comes the ability to wow: the gaping jaws at the United Center, the disbelieving eyes riveted to TV screens across the country. And then the influence, the monetary juice that flows from the physical gifts. Yes, Rose gets his share—a five-year, $100 million contract signed last December. But Rose’s greatest power is his ability to evoke the days of Michael Jordan, when the city had a hero it could call its own.
MORE ON ROSE: How the Bulls’ Derrick Rose Went from Good to Great | 40 Reasons to Love Chicago: Derrick Rose | Our November 2008 profile
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Photograph: Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune