{"id":467545,"date":"2015-10-15T16:58:39","date_gmt":"2015-10-15T20:58:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=467545"},"modified":"2024-02-13T17:18:44","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T23:18:44","slug":"derrick-rose-interview-adidas-d-rose-6-upcoming-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/derrick-rose-interview-adidas-d-rose-6-upcoming-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive Interview \/\/ Derrick Rose Talks adidas D Rose 6 & Upcoming Season"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the summer of 2014, adidas hosted a group of media in Las Vegas to debut their Boost technology in basketball. On hand was Derrick Rose<\/strong>, in town to promote his latest signature shoe but also to compete for a spot on the Team USA FIBA roster after two injury ridden seasons. A man typically of few words closed our interview with only two:<\/p>\n “I’m back.”<\/em><\/p>\n Despite what doubters say, he was right. Returning to a retooled Bulls roster, the hometown hero and face of the franchise would reassume his regular role as such, now carrying a lighter load on the court thanks to the addition of Pau Gasol and ascent of Jimmy Butler.<\/p>\n The comeback season wouldn’t see individual accolades or a championship, but it would find Rose propelling the Bulls to a playoff push that saw averages of 20, 6 and 5 a night, made most memorable by a game-winning buzzer beater that went viral online and hit hearts back home.<\/p>\n Back home, we caught up with Derrick in Chicago last month to talk about his expectations for the upcoming season, his life off the court, his signature sneaker line and the brand new adidas D Rose 6.<\/p>\n Snkrs Day: Looking back to the start of your career, when do you first remember hearing about or discussing that you’d get a signature shoe?<\/strong><\/p>\n Derrick Rose:<\/strong> I think it was after my rookie year or second year. It caught me by surprise, because coming into the league you rarely think about having your own signature shoe, you just think about the NBA experience and how you’re going to get through it. I guess I ended up playing well my first couple of years and adidas decided to make a new contract with me and make me a lifetime partner.<\/p>\n At the time, it was cool just thinking about and wondering how your designs are going to look. Being from Chicago, I’m kind of a sneakerhead and gym shoes are almost everything here. The experience was fun creating the first shoe and I’m happy I’m one of the signature guys.<\/p>\n Snkrs Day: When the Rose 1 released at retail, what was it like seeing kids in Chicago wearing your shoe?<\/strong><\/p>\n Derrick Rose:<\/strong> Not only my shoe, but just to see people in my apparel with my brand always takes me back to that humbling stage of, “Damn, I’ve really got someone who spent money on my design, on my brand.” I’m always grateful for that and I know my family is too.<\/p>\n Snkrs Day: Once becoming a signature athlete, you quickly had a follow up the next season with the Rose 2 and a new model every season since.<\/strong><\/p>\n Derrick Rose:<\/strong> I loved the 2. At the time, I was trying to put out a shoe that kids could wear on and off the court. In the hood there’s poverty and people don’t have the money to buy two pairs of shoes. I was trying to put in kid’s minds that my shoe was decent enough to wear on and off the court. I also loved the back on the 2 — it was different. The shoe still looks good to this day. I had some great games in this shoe. [Smiles and laughs<\/em>] I had some buzzer beater shots, game tying shots, just tough fourth quarter performances.<\/p>\n I think the 3 is the most important shoe of my whole collection off the strength of it bringing together everyone in my family. Relating back to Chicago, the city’s basketball culture and family, it was all about a grind. I grinded not only to get a signature shoe but a logo. I’m partners with one of the biggest brands in the world where you have Muhammed Ali and he doesn’t even have a logo and he was on this brand. I’m fortunate and blessed at the same time. I still remember having the event for the 3 in Chicago and my mom came into the room and they had 13 pairs of shoes on the counter for my family members. My mom just started crying because she never knew that something dealing with me could be that big. We ended up having the “Brenda” colorway for her, the colorway for my son and “The Fresh Prince” colorway which I kinda like, too. This was probably my biggest shoe.<\/p>\n Then I love the 4 because I gave them to my AAU team. I try to do little things like that and have little events for people around me that I love to show them that I care about them.<\/p>\n