Ex-NBA MVP Apologizes After Telling Fans To 'Kill Yourself'
Former NBA MVP and current front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year Derrick Rose had a bizarre response to the firing of his coach Monday.
Speaking to reporters after Minnesota Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau was fired, Rose had a message for detractors who think Thibodeau’s departure will slow him down: “Kill yourself.”
He said it twice during the interview.
“Thibs was just the coach that believed in me. I mean, he jump-started my career again, and for that I’ll always be thankful. But everybody that thinks that it’s gonna stop, kill yourself. It’s just not,” Rose said, according to ESPN.
He repeated the phrase in elaborating on what Thibodeau meant to him.
“He was the only coach that believed in me,” Rose said. “When I got the call I was in Cleveland practicing at Cleveland State, by myself, with me and my little guy Art. It was me and him in the gym, by ourselves, going up there five days a week. …
“And no teams was looking for me at all. I was basically out of the league. And even coming here, everybody didn’t know I was gonna play this way. He believed in me. I believed in myself. My family believed in me. And my little guy Art believed in me. And we got it done.”
“But like I said, everybody that think that I’m not gonna play the same way, kill yourself, because I believe in myself.”
Derrick Rose reflects on Thibs: “He was the only coach that believed in me… No teams wasn’t looking for me at all. I was basically out the league. Even coming here, everybody didn’t know I was going to play this way.” pic.twitter.com/IUTz7tEUPn
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 7, 2019
The chip on the shoulder is understandable considering all that he has gone through — going from the youngest MVP in history at age 21 with the Bulls in 2009 to being waived by the Utah Jazz last year before the Timberwolves signed him last March.
But telling people to “kill yourself” if they don’t believe in you is just a bit much.
Rose later did apologize via Twitter for the remark later Monday.
“I messed up by using the slang term ‘kill yourself’ today in response to a question about whether I can continue to perform without coach Thibs. I did not mean it literally and regret using it so I apologize,” he said.
I messed up by using the slang term “kill yourself” today in response to a question about whether I can continue to perform without coach Thibs. I did not mean it literally and regret using it so I apologize.
— Derrick Rose (@drose) January 7, 2019
Rose has had a good year for the Timberwolves, averaging 18.8 points and 4.8 assists. It’s his highest per game scoring average since 2012.
Thibodeau was sacked by the Wolves on Sunday. He had coached Rose in Chicago from 2010 to 2015 and led the Bulls to five straight playoff appearances. Thibodeau was hired by the Timberwolves in 2016 and led them to their first playoff appearance since 2004. In 2.5 seasons he was 97-107 with Minnesota.
This year, the Timberwolves are 19-21, 11th in the Western Conference and 2.5 games out of the playoffs.
They play an important game Tuesday night at Oklahoma City under interim head coach Ryan Saunders.
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