No doubt: Rose a budding superstar

Derrick Rose's beamed late Saturday afternoon at the notion that commercial endorsements are starting to come his way.

“I hope so,” the Bulls' point guard said with dollar signs in his eyes. “There's a lot of money in that.”

Marketers pursue NBA superstars and Rose is carrying himself like a superstar.

More importantly he played like one in the Bulls' 101-91 victory over Detroit.

Rose did everything in this home opener that leaders do, helping the Bulls overcome a 21-point deficit that still was at 15 entering the fourth quarter.

The victory represented Tom Thibodeau's first as a head coach and Rose who else? punctuated the moment.

“Derrick presented the game ball to me,” Thibodeau said.

The gesture means more than a piece of sporting goods. Every coach needs the team's best player on his side and Rose is the Bulls' best player.

“We had to give (Thibodeau) something,” Rose said with one of the many smiles in the Bulls' locker room. “He appreciated it.”

Even if you want to discount Thibodeau's big moment, this wasn't just any old victory. The Pistons dominated for three quarters and the United Center was filled with boos as the Bulls appeared on their way to starting the season with a 0-2 record.

But faster than you could say “Jordan statue” the Bulls went from gasping in dismay to sighing in relief, Thibodeau went from bust of the week to king for a day and Rose went from talking the talk to walking the walk.

“They just caught us sleeping (at the start),” Rose said, “but we came back and got the win.”

Teammates provided Rose with considerable help as the Bulls outscored the Pistons 34-9 in the fourth quarter.

Among the reserves who contributed was James Johnson with a three-play series that included a rebound basket, steal and block.

But none of it by anybody else would have mattered if Rose wasn't everything he could be.

“The thing for him is he's a leader of the team,” Thibodeau said. “He helps drive our team. He has high standards for himself and for this team and that's what we want him to have.”

Rose has mentioned recently that he wants to be the NBA's best player and during the Bulls' rally the crowd chanted “M-V-P” in his direction.

“I'm far away from it,” Rose said afterward. “I've still got to play hard. Like I've said, I was working out hard all summer.”

The Bulls need Rose to be special, to be everything he says he wants to be, to be what the demanding Thibodeau demands that he be.

This is a disjointed team right now with a new coach, new systems and seven new players ... and with expensive free-agent acquisition Carlos Boozer out with a hand injury.

Rose has to walk a line between trying to win a game by doing everything and losing a game by forcing himself upon it.

On this night Rose managed to score 39 points while still enabling his teammates to be involved down the stretch.

“He recognizes where we are and what we need,” Thibodeau said. “He's gotten to the point where he's kind of figured out the game. Whatever we need to win he's going to provide.”

Meanwhile, Derrick Rose also seems ready to provide marketers with whatever they need whenever they need a spokesman for their products.