Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls: destined for greatness

Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls is hardly like other high-profile NBA players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant who hogs the limelight. He just  nonchalantly went about his business as the leader of the Bulls this season, letting his game on the court speak for itself.

All the hard work of Derrick Rose finally paid off on Tuesday, as he was picked as the NBA Most Valuable Player for the season. At 22 years and 7 months, he became the youngest player to ever win the award in league history, younger than Wes Unseld, who was MVP back in 1969.

"I want to thank my teammates and the coaching staff," said an emotional Derrick Rose in a news conference. "You all push me every single day making sure that I play hard and play with passion."

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and LeBron James of the Miami Heat were second and third respectively in the voting. James had won the Maurice Podoloff trophy in 2009 and 2010.

Derrick Rose was the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and earned Rookie of the Year honors playing with great expectations in the city of Michael Jordan. He continued his rise to prominence in his second season, leading the Bulls to a playoff appearance. Then, he brought his game to another level this year, leading his team to a league-best 62-20 regular season record.

Derrick Rose tweaked his ankle at the closing seconds of a losing effort in Game 1 of their second round playoff matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. He said he will be playing in Game 2.

Winning the top individual player award in the NBA during just his third year in the league may not be enough for the high-flying guard, who could focus now not on making personal accomplishments but rather on making his team perennial contenders for the rest of his already bright career. Barring any serious setback, it seems the sky is the limit for Derrick Rose.