Derrick Rose the No. 1 overall pick easily won Rookie of the Year honors, averaged 17 points on 48 percent shooting and 6 assists and seamlessly handled the transition from college to the NBA.
Of course, that's not the way Rose sees it.
"I need to work on my jump shot, my defense and becoming a leader," Rose said. "I've got to lead the team better. I've got to control the game a little more as a point guard."
It's well documented by now that Rose's humility and self-critical eye are as prodigious as his talent, and he clearly is the Bulls' centerpiece moving forward.
Nevertheless, Rose himself raises an intriguing dynamic on the leadership front. Fairly shy by nature, it was apparent throughout the season that Rose occasionally struggled walking the fine line between dominating and deferring.
His unique gifts of strength and speed allowed him to take over games at times. Yet as a rookie, particularly a soft-spoken one, he also would disappear for stretches, trying to get his teammates involved.
Rose attempted one fourth-quarter shot in Game 7 of the Celtics' series.
"I'm still a point guard," Rose said. "I can't come down and shoot seven shots in a row. I still have to look for people and get them open."
Beyond mastering the fine line between being a scorer and facilitator, coach Vinny Del Negro mentioned shooting, understanding and recognizing defensive coverages, understanding time and score as areas in which he'd most like to see Rose improve.
Kirk Hinrich doesn't possess Rose's talent, but he does own a unique perspective of playing major minutes as a starting point guard as a rookie. Hinrich did so for a non-playoff team, but he still contemplated long and hard when asked how much better Rose can master the leadership dynamic in his second season.
"It's a tough question because Derrick's so darn good this year," Hinrich said. "As time goes on leadership will come more naturally for him. Obviously, he's going to be the leader of this team. Everyone is excited about his future. “
"I think leading will be much easier because I learned so much this season. I put myself in a good position. I came in, played my role as a rookie, listened to my veterans and led by my work ethic,” Rose said.
"There's always room for improvement. I plan to work so hard, you'll be able to tell I got better."
