Max Strus has been a wonderful addition to the Cleveland Cavaliers so far. The veteran sharpshooter has provided stability and depth, displaying it wonderfully in the Cavs’ latest win where Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland were all out.
In a win over the Chicago Bulls, Strus tallied 26 points, seven assists and two steals. He stepped up big-time against a team riding a winning streak that he grew up watching a ton of. He now wears No. 1 because of one of the franchise’s icons, Derrick Rose.
Strus said that Rose was his favorite player as a kid and that it feels great to wear the number he has worn throughout his career, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
“He was my favorite player growing up,” Strus said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “He’s been a good guy who I can talk to. I’ve gotten to know him pretty well. And he actually played in Cleveland for a little bit and wore No. 1. So I thought it was special I could do that. Being from Chicago, having him wear that too, I thought it would be pretty cool to wear it as well.”
Rose spent just half a season with the 2017-18 Cavs, appearing in just 16 games and averaging 9.8 points per. The veteran point guard really made a name for himself with the Bulls, of course, as he became the youngest MVP in NBA history and a multi-time All-Star.
Strus is a native of Hickory Hills, IL and played college ball at Lewis University in Illinois before transferring to DePaul, a Chicago college that his mom also attended. It’s no wonder that he grew up a huge fan of Rose.
For as long as the Cavs are dealing with loads of injuries, Strus will have to be ready to step up and be the No. 1 guy for Cleveland.