Despite electrifying peers and coaches during USA Basketball tryouts, Derrick Rose ran into some soreness during exhibition play in the lead up to the FIBA World Cup in Spain, which started this past weekend. After playing against Finland on Saturday in a blowout and a much more heavily-contested game against Turkey on Sunday, Derrick Rose tells Marc Stein of ESPN he’s “Feeling good,” though his positivity will do little to squelch the fears of Bulls fans.
Rose likened the first six days of the World Cup, with fives games on tap — tonight is their lone night off — as “AAU-type schedule.” Despite the constant questioning from reporters about his health, D-Rose is putting all the talk of injuries in the rear-view mirror. By way of ESPN’s Marc Stein:
“I’m just trying to put that behind me,” Rose said of any trepidation he’s feeling as he ramps up his comeback from the two devastating injuries that limited him to 10 games over the past two seasons with the Bulls.
“I know the questions are going to come and they’re going to be there the whole year. So I can’t get tired of it. I’m feeling good right now.
“Just trying to get in better shape, get in better condition, so that when I do need to score the ball, then it’ll be there.”
During Team USA’s blowout of the Fins on Saturday, Rose played more minutes (23) than any other member of the team. Per Stein, he didn’t even know he’d done so, another indication he’s just balling and not worrying about what he can’t control.
He hasn’t been playing up to the standards of his 2011 incarnation who won the NBA MVP award, but he’s avoided injury, the biggest fear among Bulls and basketball fans as a whole.
Against Finland, he was 5-of-5 from the free-throw line and 3-for-8 from the field for 12 points, including this rocket of crossover for the slam.
Except Rose also committed a team-high five turnovers against the Finnish squad.
Against a much tougher opponent in Turkey, who led Team USA five at halftime, Rose was held without a field goal in 17 minutes of action. He finished with two points from the stripe, two rebounds and two more turnovers.
While not exactly MVP-worthy, he’s feeling good, and totally fine with coming off the bench with Kyrie Irving starting in his place.
“We have a deep team,” Rose said. “And that’s what makes us so good.
“My role is coming off the bench right now. I’m fine with it. I know no second unit can win when I’m on the court or stick me when I’m on the court.”
Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of USA Basketball, is still optimistic Rose will get into the flow and announce his heralded return in dramatic fashion despite his self-identified “body fatigue” during exhibition play.
“I think basically we’re waiting for Derrick to have kind of a bust-out game,” Colangelo said. “And if that were to happen, I think he’d take off from that point.”
We agree. Next up for USA is New Zealand tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. ET tomorrow on ESPN.
Will Rose ever have an explosive game during World Cup pool play?
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