Bulls star pleased with progress this summer after recovering from injuries…
USA and Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has given himself an ‘A’ for his performances at the FIBA World Cup 2014 this summer.
The 25-year-old made the final 12-man roster after impressing through training camp, but he has struggled for consistency in his shooting while also seeing his impact limited off the bench.
With Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and James Harden all sharing time in the backcourt, Rose has had to play a team role despite Coach Mike Krzyzewski willing him to be more aggressive and selfish in his attacks.
The Bulls star responded in the quarter-final win over Slovenia, but aside from that performance he hasn’t been particularly influential through the tournament.
Rose has averaged just 5.4 points per game on 27.3 percent shooting during both the group phase and knockout games, and has hit just one of his 17 attempts from beyond the arc.
Nevertheless, he is pleased with how far he has come this summer as he looks to get back to something near his best after two serious knee injuries in recent years.
“I would give it an A in my mind,” Rose said. “Just coming off of what I had to go through and actually getting a spot on the USA team after missing two years of basketball? Like, c’mon man. It shows that I at least worked somewhere and hard work pays off. If anything, it gives me more confidence to head into the regular seas,” he told the Chicago Tribune.
“Actually making the team, my whole role has changed. I really don’t have to score. I score here and there. But it’s just team basketball, working on conditioning, and seeing what the game needs. I’m happy to be here. I think that I did great. I think I could go into training camp with a positive mindset. And I know I’m headed in the right direction.”
Coach Tom Thibodeau and Krzyzewski have both insisted that they are pleased with Rose’s progress this summer, but ultimately, he is still short of performing at an elite level and will need to improve ahead of making his NBA comeback later next month.
Rose has played in just 10 games over the past two seasons due to two serious knee injuries, and essentially the first obstacle that he has overcome is his ability to play freely without worrying about suffering a setback.
In turn, his conditioning, rhythm and confidence will likely develop, and Bulls fans hope he will return to be a leading light for the franchise in the new campaign.
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