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Wright Thompson spent considerable time with Derrick Rose for his cover story for ESPN The Magazine. He talked about his impressions of the Bulls guard for ESPN Front Row.

“Our time together took a lot of back and forth to arrange with his people, but once in front of him he was thoughtful, funny, humble and self-aware,” Thompson said. “The thing that sticks with me most – that didn’t make the story – was the effect his smile had on his face. Because when he’s looking stern, say, for a magazine photographer, he seems like a former NBA MVP. But when he laughs, there’s a little gap next to his front two teeth, and the combination of the gap and his laughing make him seem much, much younger. That seems like the Derrick his family knows.”

Meanwhile, the editors said they chose Rose for the cover of the NBA preview edition over LeBron James’ return to Cleveland because he is “the biggest X factor” going into the new season. Also, another factor was Rose granting Thompson considerable access.

“The [cover story] concept began with Rose’s agent this spring and after a few conversations we agreed to wait until Rose and the rest of Team USA returned from their gold-medal performance in the FIBA World Championships in Spain,” said deputy editor Otto Strong. “Receiving this kind of access to someone who has revealed very little to the world during the last three years, as he’s attempted to recover from his injuries, is something we’re very proud to share.”