Destini Rose, the 14-year-old niece of recently-traded New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose, is one of the most talented basketball players in the country in her age group.
Looks like it runs in the family.
Destini entered a pool of 25,000 participants for the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge presented by Verizon back in March and excelled at the competition's various local and regional events, showcasing her talents through a series of dribbling, shooting and rebounding challenges. Once the field narrowed all the way down to 18, Rose remained, and she earned an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to participate on the national finals, which took place on Wednesday.
She finished second in her age group, but as a reward for being a finalist, she won a trip to Thursday night's NBA draft in the Barclays Center.
As one would expect, her love for basketball isn't simply by chance. Growing up, her uncle Derrick — who just so happens to be the youngest MVP in NBA history and a three-time All-Star — played a vital role in her passion for the game.
"My uncle, he was somebody that I looked up to and was very supportive for me," Rose told USA TODAY Sports. "He taught me how to stay humble, and I think that's a key to playing basketball and living life."
Wise words from a 14-year-old, for sure, and something that she plans to remember as she embarks on her journey through the basketball world. Right now, it's AAU and Jr. NBA competitions, but one day, Rose hopes to follow in her uncle's footsteps to the top of the professional ranks, as she told USA TODAY Sports that her ultimate goal is to play in the WNBA.
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