Rose to play HS cagers in Manila Tour

MANILA, Philippines - Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls star who joined a star-studded NBA selection in an exhibition game here two years ago, will be back on Sept. 14-16 as part of the Adidas Basketball’s D Rose Tour.

The 2011 NBA MVP, sidelined by an injury late in the 2012 season and the whole of 2013, will play against some local high school players, conduct clinics and hold meet-and-greet sessions and do some social media campaigns during his three-day visit.

It will mark the second time in three years that Rose will visit Manila after he and several other NBA stars like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and James Harden played a couple of exhibition games against the original Smart Gilas Pilipinas and a PBA selection team at the Big Dome two years ago.

Before Rose’s arrival, Adidas Basketball will organize a three-on-three tournament where the best high school cagers from the Phl as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand will clash with the winners getting the chance to play Rose in September.

Meanwhile, a retail promotion across Southeast Asia markets will run from July to August as Rose promotes his new brand D Rose 773, which includes signature details and Crazyquick technology.

Rose’s Phl visit is part of the Adidas’ summer tour spanning two continents, 14 countries and 25 cities in 50 days. It also includes other NBA stars like Dwight Howard, Ricky Rubio, John Wall, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard and Mike Conley Jr.

The Tour will tip off with the Quick vs Fast Tour in China from June 30 to July 5 where the said stars will meet fans and demonstrate Adidas products like Crazyquick and Adizero Crazy Light 3 basketball shoes.

Howard, a seven-time NBA All-Star, headlines the D Howard Tour in Seoul, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Hangzhou, Chengdu and Beijing, China from Aug. 16-26.