Months after the New York Knicks sealed the deal with an NBA Finals victory, one of their former guards revealed his confidence in the team leading up to their massive accomplishment.
Former NBA guard Derrick Rose claims that he had predicted New York winning the title, and figured they could defeat the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio Spurs just before they met on the Finals stage.
Derrick Rose Addresses The New York Knicks’ Title Run
“I kind of had them winning the entire time,” Rose told Sports Illustrated recently.
“My son is a Jalen [Brunson] fan. So he was cheering for them the whole playoffs. I called Rick [Brunson] right before they got to the Finals and told him that they was going to play against Wemby [Victor Wembanyama] now. And if they was going to play against them, that they was going to win.”
Rose added that he’s specifically happy for the guard, Jalen Brunson. The two didn’t play alongside each other for long, but there is a clear respect for the Knicks’ star guard from the former NBA MVP.
The D-Rose Knicks Runs
The Knicks famously snatched up Rose after his seven-season stint with the Chicago Bulls. He would appear in 64 games for the Knicks during the 2016-2017 season.
Before the 2017-2018 season, Rose left the Knicks in free agency for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Over the next three seasons, he played for the Cavs, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Detroit Pistons.
After seeing the court for 15 games with the Pistons in 2020-2021, Rose was traded back to the Knicks. He finished the season there, and played two full seasons before his final run with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2023-2024.
At the end of the day, Rose is a Chicago Bulls legend. That first stint could be what punches his ticket to the Hall of Fame. But the Knicks still played an important part of Rose’s career. After seeing the Knicks take home the hardware, the retired guard is clearly happy for his former club.