Brendan Dunne 
Derrick Rose is ready. After nearly 18 months away from the game of basketball, no doubt the longest amount of time that he’s ever had to step away for since he first learned to dribble, the one time MVP and Rookie of the Year is at last prepared to deliver on the promise of The Return. Outfitting Rose for his comeback is adidas Basketball, who have crafted his latest signature sneaker in the form of the adidas D Rose 4. As a means of giving the brand new sneaker and the wearer thereof a proper introduction, the adidas Basketball team packed the historic United Center in Chicago with fans and media members all present in support of Derek Rose and his new silhouette.
The day began in a sequestered room in the Madhouse on Madison, a space littered with not only with one of three debut colorways of the adidas D Rose 4, but also the associated apparel. From there the media were given time to discuss first impressions, chat with the adidas personnel responsible in part for the creation of the new sneaker, and even get some insights from Derrick Rose himself on the matter. Following that session the focus shifted to the storied court that the Chicago Bulls call home. The surrounding seats were crammed with kids from local area high schools and community groups, each decked out in D Rose gear and thoroughly enjoying the festivities of the afternoon. Continue reading for more coverage on this weekend’s adidas D Rose 4 launch with adidas Basketball at Chicago’s United Center.
THE SNEAKER
The adidas D Rose 4 is a sneaker that’s dealing with some massive expectations. In the incubator for some 18 months and now materializing at a pivotal time for the eponymous athlete, the shoe pulls from adidas’ history of innovation as a means of preparing its most famous wearer for his comeback season. The sneaker weighs in at 11.9 ounces, a poundage made possible by adidas’ combination of SPRINTWEB and SPRINTFRAME technologies. On bottom is the adidas Crazyquick tooling, a choice that is described as a no-brainer in the design process. “His game is all about quick cuts,” explained VP of adidas’ Global Basketball division Lawrence Norman. “Yes it’s a relatively new technology but we knew that we wanted to have our premier athletes in those sort of shoes right away.”
VP of Design for adidas Basketball Rob Lee concurred, adding “When we saw the testing results of what Crazyquick could offer we immediately wanted to bring it to Derrick’s shoe because we saw the positives that could help him.” As much as the adidas D Rose 4 is a performance sneaker though, it’s also caught up in telling the personal story of Derrick Rose-one of humility and down to earth character. The duality of his fierce performance on-court and his humble nature off-court is represented in what Lee calls “the most controversial part of the shoe”-that vertical line partitioning off the heel portion from the rest of the upper.
The line also represents the goal of creating a shoe that’s not only capable of meeting the demands of the NBA’s elite, but one that’s also ready to wear with jeans. Norman described the the aim of designing something that you could wear “on-court and then keep on your feet as you head off to the mall.” Derrick Rose was certainly aware of the latter “I wouldn’t just go out there and put on an ugly shoe. It’s just not in me. In Chicago you really wanna look sharp whenever you step out. So with me knowing that, I don’t want people out there saying ‘Yeah he can ball but those shoes are ugly’, that was one of my number one concerns.” Continue reading to see the resultant sneaker (As well as more stories from the media launch) and keep in mind you can pre-order your pair of the adidas D Rose 4 now from adidas.
adidas D Rose 4
Release Date: 10/10/13
Price: $140
THE RETURN
Hard work. Dedication. Sacrificing yourself to whatever you’re doing. Those are the sort of things on Derrick Rose’s mind these days. As anyone with even a passing interest in the NBA is already aware of, Rose’s rehab is complete and he will indeed be playing beneath the decorated rafters of the United Center come the start of the season. In the face of this massive fervor surrounding The Return, Rose has somehow kept his composure, remaining the same humble, hometown hero that he always was by most reports. The man himself attributes that in part to changes in his life: the newfound fatherhood, the change of pace his absence resulted in, and the world tours he took part in while away from the NBA.
Rose described the traveling as eye-opening, his journeys helping him to see how far his legend had traveled. In spite of the mayhem accompanying his presence, adidas’ Lawrence Norman described the time in transit as feeling something like a family road trip. “Brenda runs the show” said Norman, alluding to Ms. Rose who has long acted an anchor for the NBA star. Even his brothers headed out to Europe and Asia with Derrick and the adidas Basketball group, the family affair nature of the trips serving as a reminder of the value Derrick puts on his hometown and those there who raised him. This is where that duality rears it’s head again: Derrick Rose the international basketball star, the son of Chicago capable of bringing the Bulls back to the glory of the Jordan era vs. Derrick Rose the humble, quiet soul who just wants to make his family proud. Somehow Rose manages to play both sides, an act that has Norman convinced that he can become “the biggest figure in global sports”. The Return is set to be the latest test in his path towards that title.
THE FANS
You don’t have to convince 5,000 Chicago kids that Derrick Rose is ready for his return. As a means of saying thanks to his endless supporters throughout the city, Rose and adidas Basketball sculpted an afternoon of Bulls-centric festivities for the attendees. Benny the Bull hopped around and did acrobatic dunks off a mini trampoline. Derrick himself shot around for a bit in the skills competition that was held and tossed up a few alley oops in the dunk contest. Even Midwest neighbor Big Sean came through show some Chi-town/Detroit love with two quick sets on the floor (On feet his adidas Pro Model collab of course). The response was raucous and clearly a moving moment for Derrick Rose, who expressed his gratitude for the devotion shown by the city of Chicago. Derrick Rose is ready. The Return is here. The adidas D Rose 4 is coming.
Many thanks to adidas Basketball for inviting Sneaker News to be a part of the adidas D Rose 4 launch.
Photography: Rajah Allarey/Brendan Dunne for Sneaker News
