Derrick Rose is still brimming with confidence.
Two campaign-crippling injuries later, the Chicago Bulls point guard could be timid. He’s played in 50 games—regular season and playoffs—since 2011-12. He’s spent the last two years or so riding the pine. There is reason for doubt, for fear.
Not everyone believes he will return to form, or even stay healthy if he does. And Rose plans on eating those skeptics for breakfast:
"I still have goals. Seeing those doubters out there, it's gonna be funny seeing them eat their words." –@drose pic.twitter.com/QnwykWdrrU
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 27, 2014
The self-assuredness Rose maintains is admirable and, admittedly, of no surprise. He’s always believed in himself. That hasn’t once wavered. Not publicly, anyway. Before he returned from his ACL injury last season, there was talk emanating out of Chicago that argued he would be better than ever. This is an identical situation.
But it’s also different.
There aren’t a whole lot of people questioning Rose’s ability. When he’s healthy—and not rusty—he’s a top-three point guard and top-10 superstar. That’s just a fact. His explosive quickness, capacity to create something out of nothing and profound playmaking is Chicago’s offensive lifeline. He can help them transition from one-trick pony status (defense) to double-ended juggernaut…if he’s healthy.
That’s what all the fuss is—or rather should—be about: Rose’s health.
Whether you believe his body is, in fact, fragile beyond comprehension or that he’s the victim of recurring bad luck is irrelevant. Health is still an issue. For whatever reason, he’s is not the poster child for durability, and that’s concerning.
"When I came back last time I wanted it too bad. This time I'm gonna let the game come to me." –@drose
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 27, 2014
Injury prevention isn’t foolproof. Rose could do all the right things, he could adapt his game to include more jumpers and fewer reckless rim attacks and still be injured, so some of this remains beyond his control.
All he can do is play and hope.
Talk is only talk. He can wax confidence however much he wants. Until he’s out there on the floor for an extended period of time, playing and excelling, passing and scoring, driving and dominating, there are going to be doubters. Even if he managed to stay healthy all next season there are going to be non-believers who see him as someone playing on paper knees.
For all of them to eat their words, Rose has to play well. And that’s something he can control. He also has to remain healthy, which, as we’ve seen since the lockout-truncated 2011-12 campaign, is a fortunes-turning condition that, if only to an extent, leaves Rose at the behest of ungovernable fate.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
