How tall is Derrick Rose? His real height is 6’3 (191 cm) and his wingspan is 6’8 (203 cm).
On the whole, NBA players tend to be big. Height is one of the most important markers for anyone trying to make it in the league, as it helps with both offense and defense. Despite that, there have been a good number of smaller players who’ve succeeded too.
Derrick Rose is a great example of that. The guard has had a great (and long) NBA career, and he’s done it without ever being the biggest guy on the court. This guide will explain how he managed that, and reveal why being large, while important, isn’t everything.
Overcoming the Odds
As guards rely so much on speed and acceleration, they tend to be small. Rose may have a shorter frame, but he also had tons of power and quickness that his defenders couldn’t match. That gave him a lot of burst and enabled him to constantly play above his size.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s infallible. His career has largely been filled with peaks and valleys. Though he came out of college hot, being the first overall pick and winning an MVP award, he couldn’t quite overcome his injuries while in Chicago or Minnesota.
He missed a lot of time and spent a good number of his peak years either on the bench or in recovery. Even so, he eventually saw a big resurgence in the late 2010’s when his ppg ballooned from a lowly 6 points to 18.
Though he’s dropped back down due to age, he’s now been in the NBA for an impressive fourteen seasons. And he’s done it without being large.
A Well Rounded Talent
Rose is not terribly small for a point guard, but he’s still on the shorter side of NBA players. He stands 6’3 and clocks in at a solid 200 pounds. Those dimensions helped him properly develop his game and allowed him to succeed across numerous years.
He first relied heavily on quickness to get past defenders, and then used his strong frame to hang in the air or finish tough layups. It was a great formula, and one that worked beautifully for the former MVP.
Something else that made Rose so special was his raw athleticism. He used to be incredibly fast, talented, and was an amazing jumper. The guard hit a max vertical of 40 inches and had a standing no-step vertical of 35.5 inches. Both of those are well above average.
Being able to jump makes a huge difference in the NBA, especially for guards like Rose. Unlike a lot of modern points, he didn’t make a career out of sitting back and shooting threes. He was someone who exploded to the rim early and often.
However, what truly pushed him over the edge was his wingspan. His arms stretch out to 6’8; making them a full five inches past his height. That’s a staggering discrepancy, especially in a league where most players only have arms that are one inch longer than their body.
Rose’s arms are critical to his game because they allow him to play much bigger than his frame. Being able to reach up over defenders to reach shots that would normally be unblockable adds another layer of versatility and skill to his already impressive toolbox.
Final Words
Rose has never been an oversized or large player. Even so, that’s never held him back from succeeding at the highest level. He has an immense amount of athleticism, but his skill and IQ are both important too. He’s never let his stature hold him back, and that’s why he’s so good.
