Robert Rose (basketball) facts for kids

Robert Paul Rose (born 27 December 1964) is a retired professional basketball player. He was born in America but also became an Australian citizen. He played most of his career in Australia's top league, the NBL.

Robert Rose won a championship with the South East Melbourne Magic in 1992. He was also named the NBL Most Valuable Player twice, in 1993 and 2001. People often called him "Australia's Michael Jordan" because he was great at making important shots and playing strong defense.

Early Life and College Basketball

Growing Up in New York

Robert Rose was born in Rochester, New York, in the United States.

Playing for George Mason University

From 1982 to 1986, Rose played college basketball for the George Mason Patriots. In his final year, he helped his team reach the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) for the first time ever. This is a big tournament for college basketball teams.

Rose was recognized as one of the best players in his college conference. He was a second-team All-ECAC South player in 1985. In 1986, he made the first-team All-CAA. He is still one of the top 10 players in George Mason history for points, rebounds, steals, and blocks.

Professional Basketball Career

Short Time in the NBA

In the 1988-89 season, Robert Rose played two games in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers. He signed a special 10-day contract but only played for three minutes in total.

Playing in the Philippines

In 1990, Rose played in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Purefoods Hotdogs. He helped his team win their first-ever championship. This was a big achievement, even though he got injured in the final game.

Becoming an NBL Star in Australia

Starting with South East Melbourne Magic

Robert Rose began his NBL career in Australia in 1992 with the South-East Melbourne Magic. He quickly led his team to win the championship that year. This was the only championship he would win in his NBL career. The next year, he was named the National Basketball League MVP. He averaged 18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game.

Time with the Adelaide 36ers

In 1994, Rose joined the Adelaide 36ers. He played alongside other great players like Mark Davis and Phil Smyth. They made it to the 1994 NBL Grand Final Series but lost to the North Melbourne Giants. Rose played incredibly well in that series, averaging 32 points per game.

He also helped the 36ers reach the Semi-Finals in 1995. During his time in Adelaide, Rose won the club's MVP award twice. He was also chosen for the 1995 NBL All-Star Game and won the MVP award for that game.

Moving to the Canberra Cannons

Rose then played for the Canberra Cannons for three years. He was named to the All NBL First Team in both 1996 and 1997. He led the Cannons to the Semi-Finals in 1996 and the Elimination Finals in 1997.

Leading the Townsville Crocodiles

After Canberra, Rose joined the Townsville Crocodiles, a team that was struggling. He became their captain and helped turn the team around. He led them to the Semi-Finals and then to the Grand Final in the 2000–01 season. Rose won his second league MVP award that year. However, the Crocodiles lost the Grand Final to the Wollongong Hawks.

Retirement with the Cairns Taipans

After the 2005–06 season, when he was 42 years old, the Crocodiles decided not to keep Rose. He then signed with another team from North Queensland, the Cairns Taipans, for the 2006–07 season. Robert Rose retired in December 2006, having played an amazing 472 games in the NBL.

NBL Career Statistics

Here are some of Robert Rose's career stats from his time in the NBL:

See also

In Spanish: Rob Rose para niños