Many remarkable athletes have played in the NBA and created a lasting impression upon their retirement. Yet, not many can compare to the legacy Derrick Rose has created. Last year, the Chicago Bulls’ legendary player concluded his 16-year NBA journey, and it’s rare for a day to go by without NBA enthusiasts remembering him.

On the Mind The Game podcast, LeBron James and Steve Nash recently discussed D-Rose, with James making a passionate plea for fans to remember the retired guard despite his injury struggles.

“I hope and I hope dearly that people have not forgotten about Derrick Rose,” LeBron James said. “One of the most explosive players I have even played with, one of the most competitive players. Injuries suck, they really do, and he is one of those examples. We have a lot of examples in our sport. But the battles that I had with D-Rose when I was in Miami and Cleveland, the guy is the youngest MVP in our league’s history.”

Rose won the MVP for the 2010-11 season when he was only 22 years old, being the youngest in NBA history. Apart from that, he also won Rookie of the Year in the 2008-09 campaign after being the first overall pick in 2008, and finished his career with three All-Star selections.

While a lot of people feel he has underachieved, Rose still holds a special place for the Bulls and the entire fanbase. From being born in the most dangerous neighborhood in Chicago, Englewood, the point guard went on to dominate the sport at every level. During his eight-year stay in Chicago, he became an inspiration for so many young kids from the region to pursue the sport and focus on the right things in life.

“And what he meant for the Chicago Bulls, he meant even more for the city of Chicago as a whole. He’s a legend, he’s a great, and we all love Derrick Rose. If you have played basketball, if you have been a part of our league, there’s not a single bad thing people could say about Derrick Rose. He was an unbelievable competitor. We love him man,” LeBron James reiterated Rose’s importance in Chicago.

Rose was destined to dominate the NBA for years to come, but his career was cut short because of some career-threatening injuries. Every time he was sidelined, he came back to the court with renewed belief and zeal. His first injury was an ACL tear in 2012 during a playoff win against the Philadelphia 76ers. The injury sidelined him for the remained of the season when arguably he was soaring with the Bulls.

After returning from the ACL tear, Rose started well, averaging 15.9 points per game before he went down with a heartbreaking medial meniscus tear in his right knee, which was another contact injury, and once again, he was out for the remainder of the season.

He bounced back in the following 2014-15 season and had another good start to the campaign. In fact, he enjoyed the first half of the season before tearing his medial meniscus again. The ACL injuries and muscle tears completely took the wind out of his sails, as even after recovering, he lost his primary trait of athleticism.

He kept suffering minor back, ankle, and toe issues even during his recent stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks.

Derrick Rose Hails LeBron James As His Toughest Competitor

In his 15 years in the NBA, Derrick Rose has faced off against some of the best guards in the league, but he hails LeBron James as his toughest competitor. Rose in his prime was one of the most explosive playmakers in the league and was almost unplayable and unguardable on his day but yet he finished second-best in most of his battles with the King.

In June, D-Rose was at an Adidas Eurocamp in Italy, and in an interview with Basketball Network, he hailed LeBron as his toughest competitor throughout his NBA career.

“Bron…Bron was the only one who thought like a point guard that wasn’t a point guard, where he wouldn’t score early or sometimes he would start scoring early, and he was smart enough to make the adjustment. I hated that,” Rose said when asked about his toughest competitor.

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His reply didn’t come as a shock for anyone, as LeBron James has been dominating the league for over two decades while enjoying a sensational record against some of the greatest NBA players.

The Akron Hammer and D-Rose also had some fierce battles as they played against each other 40 times, with the former having the upper hand with a 25-15 record over the Bulls legend. While LeBron recorded a 13-11 record in regular-season games, the playoffs were a completely different story as the King dominated the Bulls 12-4.

Overall, the mutual respect among the NBA legends only proves how big personalities they are in their domain to acknowledge each other’s greatness. While LeBron continues to suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers in his 23rd season in the league, Derrick Rose will forever remain the biggest ‘what if’ story, even after a year following his retirement.