Derrick Rose Returns to Manila for the adidas D Rose Tour
By and large, the
Philippines is a basketball country. The ubiquity of basketball rings found in
every corner of the nation is a testament to this; so is the constant chatter
prompted by even the smallest local or international tidbit about the sport.
And the latest piece of news that has sent Filipino hoop-fans abuzz is the
return of Chicago Bulls superstar, and adidas icon Derrick Rose to the
Philippines.
D Rose, as he is
often referred to by fans, is a slashing point guard who was recognized as the
league’s rookie of the year in 2009 and most valuable player in 2011. As part of the adidas D Rose Tour, which
has recently concluded its European and Asian legs, the famed point guard
visits Manila for the second time, and is giving fans the rare opportunity to
meet the famed NBA superstar.
To kick off his
arrival in Manila on September 14, Rose attended the adidas Unite All Originals
party as the guest of honor and followed it up with exhibition games for the D
Rose Tour 3 on 3 grand finals the next day.
Held at the Araneta
Coliseum where Rose played in during his previous visit, fans of the athlete
were given a chance to see Rose live. The competition brought together 16 teams
made up of high school athletes from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore
and the Philippines, where the winning teams were given the honor of playing in
front of and being awarded by the superstar himself.
“This tour is an
expansive effort to connect Derrick Rose with his fans and support the growth
of basketball on an international scale,” explains Georges Youssef, Country
Manager of adidas Philippines.
Rose concludes his
Philippine visit with a video game challenge at the SM Mall of Asia, where the
winner of the tournament will have the rare chance of playing against Derrick
Rose.