“Have I done enough to get my name on a shoe? Or deserve the world lifting me up when I was down? Can I give my city the ultimate thank you? It’s time to remind the world that even though I wasn’t on the court, I never left the game.” – Derrick Rose

If there’s a city that needs a “hero” and a role model it’s the city of Chicago and in the latest Adidas commercial, Derrick Rose says he’s “all in” for the troubled city.  He will also be in Chicago tomorrow as he returns home from a long Adidas tour that sent him around the world.  Rapper/actor Common is scheduled to be a guest at the final Adidas event stop and we sent dunkers Guy Dupuy, Werm and Sir Issac over to put on a show for Rose and all of the basketball fans that will be attendance.

We hope the sights and entertainment of the event will give basketball fans in Chicago something to feel positive about.  Just 2 days ago, a gunman opened fire at a basketball court on the South Side of Chicago injuring 13 people including a 3 year old that was hit in the jaw by a bullet.  The police said it was a “miracle that there has been no fatality” but so far there’s been 500 homicides in Chicago and the city has spent over $57 million in the past 6 months just paying OT pay to Police officers to improve crime-fighting efforts.

In the new Adidas ad Rose says he needs to remind the world that eventhough he wasn’t on the court he never left the game.  What I want to remind people is that eventhough Rose wasn’t on the court last year he was doing greater things off it such as paying for the funeral of 6 month old Jonylah Watkins who was shot 5 times and killed back in March.   Rose may want to thank the city but the city should be thanking him.