DeMar DeRozan: It's a blessing to still be playing
Entering his 15th season, DeMar DeRozan doesn’t take Opening Night lightly. “It’s amazing, man, just to think about the longevity, to be able to play this game so long. To still be going, to still love the game, to still have motivation, the passion, everything about it,” he said following Tuesday’s practice at the Advocate Center. “I don’t look at it like I feel old. It’s more so it’s a blessing to still be playing.”
Source: K.C. Johnson @ NBC Sports Chicago
Source: K.C. Johnson @ NBC Sports Chicago
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
From facing Shaq in 2009 to facing Shai in 2023, DeMar DeRozan still has “passion and motivation” and doesn’t take Opening Night, or his longevity, lightly.
For @NBCSChicago: nbcsportschicago.com/nba/chicago-bu… – 3:53 PM
From facing Shaq in 2009 to facing Shai in 2023, DeMar DeRozan still has “passion and motivation” and doesn’t take Opening Night, or his longevity, lightly.
For @NBCSChicago: nbcsportschicago.com/nba/chicago-bu… – 3:53 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
DeMar DeRozan, about to play in his 15th season opener, reflecting on his first in 2009: “I was terrified as (expletive).” Raptors beat Cavaliers with LeBron/Shaq. DeRozan said, as kid from LA, he couldn’t believe he was playing against Shaq. – 1:43 PM
DeMar DeRozan, about to play in his 15th season opener, reflecting on his first in 2009: “I was terrified as (expletive).” Raptors beat Cavaliers with LeBron/Shaq. DeRozan said, as kid from LA, he couldn’t believe he was playing against Shaq. – 1:43 PM
Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Is this the year that a project centered around Zach LaVine, Nikola Vučević and DeMar DeRozan pays off for the Chicago Bulls?
Players feel the stakes are clear: “This is our last shot to make something happen.”
chicagotribune.com/sports/bulls/c… – 10:52 AM
Is this the year that a project centered around Zach LaVine, Nikola Vučević and DeMar DeRozan pays off for the Chicago Bulls?
Players feel the stakes are clear: “This is our last shot to make something happen.”
chicagotribune.com/sports/bulls/c… – 10:52 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most wins against Giannis (regular season + playoffs):
28 — Kyle Lowry
23 — Jimmy Butler
22 — DeMar DeRozan
21 — Al Horford
The only players with 20+ pic.twitter.com/AHDXXxpcHK – 6:43 PM
Most wins against Giannis (regular season + playoffs):
28 — Kyle Lowry
23 — Jimmy Butler
22 — DeMar DeRozan
21 — Al Horford
The only players with 20+ pic.twitter.com/AHDXXxpcHK – 6:43 PM
More on this storyline
“I was terrified as (expletive). I’m not going to lie to you,” DeRozan said. “I’ll never forget: I was walking out there and it felt really like a dream. And I remember walking on that court like I couldn’t believe I was playing against Shaq. Me being from LA, I watched Shaq my whole life. So to able to step on the same floor as Shaq made it feel so surreal, made it feel like a dream come true. And I think I even got a block that game. I blocked his shot. I just remember being terrified that I couldn’t believe I was in that moment.” -via NBC Sports Chicago / October 24, 2023
Opening Night only counts as one game. But DeRozan wants to use it to start building what he hopes the Bulls’ identity will be. “We have to be resilient. We can’t show bad body language when a quarter isn’t going our way, a play isn’t going our way,” DeRozan said. “We have to be one of those teams that is resilient at home or on the road.” -via NBC Sports Chicago / October 24, 2023
Julia Poe: DeMar DeRozan gave Becky Hammon her flowers after leading the Las Vegas Aces to back-to-back WNBA championships. “I had no doubt when she went into coaching, she was going to try to dominate.” pic.twitter.com/YbpGT5yoI7 -via Twitter @byjuliapoe / October 20, 2023