Derrick Rose Named NBA's MVP

Chi-town's finest becomes NBA's MVP

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose is the youngest Most Valuable Player award-winner in the history of the National Basketball Association, according to a source familiar with the situation.The 22-year-old Rose was widely expected to win the award after leading the Bulls to a 62-20 record and No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Michael Jordan was the last Bulls player to win the award. He won it five times, with the latest being 1998. Earlier in the season, Jordan said Rose deserved the award.
The Chicago-born point guard had a breakout third season, averaging 25 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds. After a summer with the U.S. National team, Rose made a significant leap. Rose, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft and Rookie of the Year, started his first All-Star Game, after making the team as a reserve last season. He carried a team that saw its top two big men, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, miss significant time with injuries. His fellow starting guard Keith Bogans averaged just 4.4 points per game. Still, the Bulls never lost more than two games in a row.

"Well deserved," Boozer said. "I've been shouting his praise all season for what he's been able to do for our team. I'm proud of him, he deserved it." Rose's MVP candidacy was criticized by some, but not by his teammates. After Rose scored 30 in a 97-81 win over Boston in early April, Noah said, "If this game doesn't put the stamp on the MVP vote, I don't know what else you can say."

Rose said Monday night that the league has yet to tell him anything about the award.
"Not yet. Still hearing from it," he said. "But right now, I'm sorry to say that's the last thing I'm thinking about. I'm sorry."

Rose is expected to be notified of his victory Tuesday and be presented with the award during Wednesday's Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks, according to the source."I think it's great. I think he's very well-deserving," Noah said. "I think it's a situation where everybody knows it's his. It's not like somebody else deserves it. It's for him and I'm happy for him, but there's really no time to celebrate it right now. We're in a dogfight against Atlanta."

The Bulls lost Game 1 of their second-round series to the Hawks Monday night, 103-95.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau won the Coach of the Year award Sunday. The two will be the 12th duo in NBA history to win both awards.While his shooting percentages slipped a bit in the first-round win over the Indiana Pacers, Rose averaged 27.6 points, 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds.

"He's humble, he's coachable. It doesn't matter if the 12th man on the team says something to him, he's going to look you in the eye and listen to you and nod his head and try to do it better," teammate Kyle Korver said. "That's just the kind of guy he is. And that is so rare. That is so rare. So to be on his team, to watch him grow this year, he's really matured as a [player]. And he's still raw. He can still get a lot better. That's the scary thing. And he will because he works really hard. And he's got great people around him, coaching him, and helping him out."

Jon Greenberg is a columnist and reporter for ESPNChicago.com