An appreciation of DeMar DeRozan’s time with the Bulls

An appreciation of DeMar DeRozan’s time with the Bulls originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago

Presented by National Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich

Highlights on the court were plentiful and will stand the test of time.

Whenever DeMar DeRozan is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, surely that one-legged, 28-foot 3-pointer he sank to beat the buzzer-beater and the Indiana Pacers on New Year’s Eve 2021 will be up for grabs.

Or maybe the difficult bomb-and-corner 3-point fake to beat the buzzer and the Washington Wizards the next night will be, given that it marked the first time in NBA history a player hit game-winning 3-pointers on consecutive days.

DeRozan provided other valuable moments on the court during his three seasons with the Chicago Bulls, recording 12 40-point games, averaging 25.5 points and steadily climbing the all-time scoring rankings to surpass the likes of Larry Bird, Elgin Baylor or Dwyane Wade.

But it was in the quieter moments that DeRozan truly made his biggest impact as a Bull.

From driving to the University of Illinois to watch Ayo Dosunmu’s jersey retirement to inviting Patrick Williams and Dalen Terry to their first offseason workouts in Los Angeles, DeRozan treated his younger players with respect and endowed them with confidence.

His consistent demeanor and quiet leadership have drawn praise from organizational members as diverse as basketball decision makers to business operations employees.

His love of basketball was demonstrated in everything from leading the NBA in minutes played at age 34 to watching Windy City Bulls games on his nights off, to his appreciation for old-school moves and the history of the sport.

DeRozan loved knowing which legend of the game he was about to surpass on the all-time scoring list. Not so much bragging rights, although he would love to hear about Wade, who is his neighbor in Southern California. But more so because DeRozan has been a long-time student of the game.

“I mean, that’s Larry Bird,” DeRozan said early last season in Indianapolis. “From the fans’ point of view, it’s incredible. It is an honor. . . . Listen, this is a player I’ve watched a lot of film of over the years. And he was a bad man.

This may be a small thing, but speaking of which: in this time of more restricted access, DeRozan was always available, whenever you needed him. No wonder he is the winner of the 2018 Magic Johnson Award, given annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association to the player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation with the media and fans.

DeRozan has also continued his commitment to raising awareness about mental health, a mission he unexpectedly began while a member of the Toronto Raptors, another organization where he is widely respected. DeRozan appeared to gain confidence in that commitment, launching a podcast series on his YouTube channel called “Dinners with DeMar,” in which he talked about mental health issues with stars like Damian Lillard, Draymond Green and Wade.

The Bulls won just one playoff game during DeRozan’s three-year tenure, a fact that deeply pained the proud player. But not only has DeRozan made two All-Star Games, he also earned second-team All-NBA status in 2021-22 and has been a finalist for the Clutch Player of the Year award the past two seasons.

The Bulls’ lack of success wasn’t due to a lack of efforts from DeRozan.

And he appeared. He led the NBA in minutes played at age 34 and appeared in 93% of his potential games in Chicago. He played often and played hurt.

DeRozan likes to say he is not involved in the basketball business. But it was that deal that helped push him from Chicago to Sacramento, where the Kings franchise began a love affair on Saturday night.

That’s when the Kings introduced DeRozan at a summer league game to a raucous reception. They seem to follow DeRozan wherever he plays, whether it’s Toronto, San Antonio or Chicago. The Bulls should already be planning that video tribute for next season.