NBA All-Star: Bulls' DeMar DeRozan Opens Up About 'Tough' Road To Redemption

DeMar DeRozan is having a resurgent season with his new team.

The rise of the Chicago Bulls has been one of the most highly touted stories this season with an emphasis on DeRozan’s remarkable run. The 13-year NBA veteran is playing only his maiden season with the Bulls, but he has already become a star in the Windy City.

DeRozan’s fine form saw him being named a starter in this year’s All-Star game. Ahead of his much-awaited All-Star comeback, he detailed how he overcame his adversaries after being criticized by many in the past.

According to DeRozan, no matter how “tough” his situation was, he “never” lost his confidence and stayed “true to himself.” In the end, the hard work he had put in finally paid off.

“I always wanted to be that inspiration to people: Stay true to yourself whatever that is,” DeRozan told NBA.com. “Don't feel like you have to be forced to change to be something else that you might not be comfortable with, or you're just not quite there yet. Master whatever it is the part of your game that you can master and take full advantage of it. I never wanted to [stray] away from that. I never wanted to be forced into doing something else.”

“It was tough, hearing all the critics, the criticism about your game, this, that, this, that,” he continued. “But I just stayed true to myself, and this is just a true testament, moments like this, to players everywhere. Never lose confidence in your ability and your work ethic and what you put into this game because it definitely will give it back to you."

DeRozan was referring to the time he went from being a potential superstar to a typical scorer after the trade that saw him leave Toronto for San Antonio.

It can be recalled that the Raptors ended up winning the championship after the said trade. DeRozan, on the other hand, failed to get past the Western Conference first round with the Spurs.

Nevertheless, DeRozan still left a good impression in San Antonio, something Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich acknowledges to this day.

“He’s superhuman in every way, shape and form,” Popovich recently told NBC 5 Chicago of DeRozan.

“He’s just one of those guys. You feel comfortable with him,” he continued. “You can talk to him about lots of stuff. Life things, in addition to basketball things. Just enjoyed being around him, giving opinions about what’s going on in the world, that sort of thing. Just hit it off.”