Although the reserves for next month's 59th NBA All-Star Game weren't announced until just after 6 p.m. Thursday, Derrick Rose was relaxing in his New Orleans hotel room that morning when he got a call informing him he was among the seven players added to the Eastern Conference team.
''I got a couple of calls, but it really didn't hit me until everybody, like 20 people, called me,'' Rose said after the official announcement was made.
Playing in an NBA All-Star Game has been a dream since he was a high school player at Simeon. It may have taken a moment to sink in, but the significance of the All-Star berth -- for him and the Bulls organization -- wasn't lost on Rose.
''I was in awe just thinking about it,'' he said. ''I was happy for the organization. I know they were happy for me. My teammates, I wouldn't be here without them. The coaching staff, they're doing a good job. I'm just in awe right now.''
Bulls fans, who have suffered through countless rebuilding efforts in the last 12 years, also should be in awe right now, because Rose gaining an All-Star berth is a clear sign things are headed in the right direction.
Despite all the frustration of the first six weeks of the season, the Bulls are in a good position. With Rose definitely playing like an All-Star, the Bulls have a 12-5 record since Dec. 26 to get back to the .500 mark at 22-22. They look to extend their road winning streak to five games tonight against the New Orleans Hornets.
As spectacular as Rose has been of late -- he's averaging better than 23 points on better than 50 percent shooting in January -- it's doubtful he would have been selected without the Bulls' turnaround.
''Yeah, it's always a team effort,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''Everyone has their role on the team, everyone understands the areas where they need to go to work every night and perform, whether you're a rebounder or a shooter or a penetrator or whatever.
''Defensive has been our focus from Day 1, and we feed off the ability that Derrick has to create in the open court, not only scoring the basketball but making the game easier for his teammates. That's what great players in this league do. They get their statistics, they find ways to help their team win, and they incorporate everybody in that. It's a very unique skill to have. There are only so many All-Stars, and Derrick's one of them.''
Rose also is the first Bull to make the All-Star Game since Michael Jordan in 1998. Jordan scored a game-high 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting that year and was the game's most valuable player.
''He's a legend in Chicago, a legend in the NBA,'' Rose said of Jordan. ''For me to have the opportunity to be an All-Star right behind him, it feels good.''
He'll come off the bench and probably won't come close to the 32 minutes Jordan played in '98 -- and certainly won't attempt 18 shots. But the 21-year-old looks upon his first All-Star appearance as a learning experience and will be content to defer to his star teammates.
''I'm gonna be watching them, observing them, just seeing what they're doing,'' Rose said. ''Hopefully, I'll take some leadership skills from them and try to bring it all to the Bulls so one day I can be in their shoes and the organization can win championships.''
We'll see about the championships, but this much is certain: The Bulls are better positioned to be a title contender sometime soon because of Rose.
''This is not a one-time All-Star deal for Derrick,'' Del Negro said. ''I expect him to continually evolve his game in all aspects. I know how hard he works and how coachable he is, and he's about the right stuff.''
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