In a recent interview with HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch, Derrick Rose declared Isiah Thomas as his new greatest of all time.
The former MVP explained his choice by highlighting Thomas’ Chicago roots and accomplishments against legends during their peaks.
“My GOAT now is Isiah Thomas because he’s from Chicago,” Rose said. “The only guy who beat Magic [Johnson], Mike [Jordan], and [Larry] Bird all in their prime at 6-3.”
Rose added that while he once named Michael Jordan his GOAT, the choice was more about admiration than personal connection.
“I used to say MJ, but it wasn’t MJ,” he continued. “I said it because I was intrigued by his story and how he won. But I’m not a two-guard. I don’t score like him at all.”
The 36-year-old former point guard emphasized how Thomas’ playstyle and background align more with his own journey and values.
Rose has deep ties to Chicago, having starred at Simeon Career Academy and later becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Bulls.
Thomas, a Chicago native and Hall of Famer, led the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990.
Thomas’ Pistons famously defeated the Lakers, Celtics, and Bulls during their respective dynasties, a feat often cited by basketball historians.
Standing at just 6-foot-1, Thomas carved out a legacy defined by toughness, leadership, and big-game performances.
