After signing a 2-year $40 million contract, Jabari Parker and the Chicago Bulls held an introductory press conference for Parker. Often during these press conferences athletes give the cookie cutter responses stating their excitement of joining a new team and their readiness for getting to work. Jabari’s inaugural Bulls presser seemed more genuine than most.
Parker, a Chicago native, is joining the team he grew up rooting for so it’s easy to believe him when he said playing for the Bulls “is a dream come true.” Parker was even brutally honest when discussing his defensive shortcomings arguing that “they don’t pay players to play defense.”
Parker’s most genuine moment came when he was asked about the career of Derrick Rose. Parker was born in 1995, meaning he was there to watch and admire Rose’s career on a day-to-day basis. He saw Rose get named the youngest MVP in NBA history and he watched Rose suffer at the hands of multiple injuries. So when Parker was asked about the highs and lows of Rose’s career, he was quick to come Rose’s defense.
“Derrick had no lows. He didn’t. Because he still maintained. Derrick is a legend, no matter what. I don’t like how you explained that,” Parker said in a response to a question about Rose’s fall from grace. “No rise and falls. Injuries are a part of life. Everybody has an injury, either athletics or normal life. Derrick is one of the best players to ever play the game and one of the best icons of Chicago. He accomplished his duty already.”
If one were to fill out a venn diagram of Rose and Parker, they would need a substantially large middle portion. Both athletes grew up in Chicago, were stars at Simeon high school, were high draft picks, suffered multiple knee injuries and once Parker plays his first game both will have played for the Bulls. With all those similarities, it’s no surprise Parker jumped on the opportunity to defend Rose.