Derrick Rose cries at unveiling of new adidas shoes

Published Friday, Sep 14, 2012 at 9:47 am EDT
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Derrick Rose isn't the most demonstrative star athlete in the world. He gives a business-first impression, and isn't necessarily interested in dancing around. So when Rose gives fans a bit of insight into his personal side, people tend to take notice.

On Thursday, during an adidas event where he unveiled his new signature collection, including the adidas Rose 3 shoe, the Chicago Bulls point guard became emotional after a video showing his rehab from knee surgery was shown to the crowd. (You can watch the video here.)

Derrick Rose holds back tears at an adidas event on Thursday, unveiling his new signature collection that includes his new shoe, the adidas Rose 3. (adidas photo)

But it appeared that Rose was overwhelmed not by seeing his rehab process, but by reaching such a point in his career amid all of that is happening in a particularly turbulent time for Chicago with homicides on the rise and a teachers strike ongoing.

"It's truly a blessing. With all this stuff that's going on in this city, a kid from Englewood got something positive going on. That makes me feel so good man," Rose said. "The shoe is great, all this is great, but I can't explain this. I can't.

"To have true fans that means a lot to me and I know it means a lot to my family because we aren't supposed to be here at all, but God made the way and this is just truly unreal and I'm just happy that I have true fans out there."

Later, Rose was asked about the ongoing teachers' strike in Chicago, about which he'd already tweeted earlier this week.

"I didn't have to go through that so I can only imagine what parents have to go through where they've got to find babysitters, you don't know how hard that is," Rose said. "I ride around the neighborhood in the city and just to see kids out at 12 o'clock when they're supposed to be in school, it hurts you and that's what they have to deal with.

"And for me, I'm going to have a kid, so I know this is one of the reasons why I'm thinking about it. I hope they change it soon, but I'm praying for it."