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Can Derrick Rose Return To Top Form And Lead The Chicago Bulls?

By Carlos Nazario

Oct 24, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scottrade Center. The Timberwolves won 113-112. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scottrade Center. The Timberwolves won 113-112. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Derrick Rose is set to make his 2014 NBA season debut on Wednesday. After playing in just 10 games in two seasons, can he get back to his old MVP form and lead the Chicago Bulls again?

Derrick Rose is ready to make his 2014 season debut for the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday against the New York Knicks. After playing in just 10 games over the last two seasons, there are many who are naturally questioning his ability to be the same dynamic player that won the NBA MVP in the 2010 season.

Derrick Rose experienced nothing but success in his basketball career. He won a titles in high school, went to the championship game in his only year at Memphis, won the NBA Rookie of the Year and the NBA MVP.

Then the 2012 playoffs hit. Late in the opening game of the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, Rose went up for a shot, then heard a pop. That pop was his ACL tearing, ending his and the Chicago Bulls’ season. Little did he know at that time, he would miss the entire next season as well.

Rose rehabbed and got himself ready for the 2013 season. The season started and he had a lot of rust. Then it happened…again.

Getting the ball in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Rose turned and tried to push the ball up. He felt something on his other knee, however. He was checked out, and it turned out that he tore his meniscus and would miss the rest of the season. Again his knee took Chicago’s chances with it.

Now we are ready for Rose’s second return. He is hoping things turn out different this time.

One difference in this year’s comeback is that Rose played in the FIBA World Cup with Team USA. It may not seem like much, and it’s still not the NBA, but for Rose, the important thing was to work out the rust. And boy, did he have rust.

While he flashed his speed and dunking once in a while, his shooting was woeful. He had a 25 percent shooting percentage overall, and shot just 5 percent from three-point range.

Derrick Rose driving to the basket.
Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

People started to talk about how much Rose struggled. Rose stayed positive, however. He told ESPN.com’s Mark Woods that the entire experience (50 games, and a stretch of five games in six days) was good for him.

“I’m going to transfer this onto next season with the Bulls,” he said. “It’s really helped me with my recovery. Being off the floor, taking care of my body, eating right. I was feeling good every time I stepped on the floor, stretching every time, I think it’s going to help me with the Bulls season.”

Those are the words that the Chicago Bulls organization and its fans wanted to hear from Derrick Rose.

Rose turned that experience in the World Cup to a successful preseason. In eight preseason games, he averaged 16.5 points per game, shooting 48 percent overall and 43 percent from three. He also flashed a lot more of the moves that made him special.

Rose also showed his competitive nature again.

The Bulls had a matchup against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rose would be matched up with Kyrie Irving, one of the up and coming point guards in the league. Rose was looking forward to this game. ”I’m used to playing with very good people and very good talent,” he said. ”That’s all they’ve got on that team, is talent. You know when you play against them; you know you’ve got to come out here and ball.”

And ball he did. Rose scored 30 points in 24 minutes, and left Irving behind him in a cloud of dust a few times. He looked like the old Derrick Rose.

One thing that will help Rose in his second comeback is the help he now has. The Bulls signed Pau Gasol in free agency, traded to draft Doug McDermott and went to Europe to sign Nikola Mirotic. There is also the maturation of Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, who are better offensively than Rose remembers them. Also, with Kirk Hinrich and another free agent pickup Aaron Brooks, Rose will have the help under him who can give him some rest when he needs it.

Whereas Rose was about the only option offensively before his injuries, the Bulls now have options in the low post and outside shooting. Rose’s knees will not have to bear the weight of the entire offense anymore.

One person who thinks Rose shouldn’t have a problem returning to form is his coach, Tom Thibodeau. He spoke on Tuesday about Rose and said he expects Rose to be the same Rose we are used to seeing.

“I expect him to get back to exactly who he was. He’s got to remember what he did to play like that,” Thibodeau said. “This is a process he has to go through. There’s a lot of rust to shake off when you miss the amount of time he’s missed. But as long as he continues to improve he’ll get there.”

While many still have questions about Rose’s play this season, Rose looks to prove the naysayers wrong. After over two years of pure training and changing his body, he is ready to go and take his place as one of the top point guards in the NBA. It won’t happen right away, as the Bulls will probably have him on a minutes restriction for a bit, and he has to get used to playing with both his new teammates and the old ones he hasn’t really played with in those two years.

I fully expect Derrick Rose to have a splendid season. I won’t go as far as to say he will be the MVP again, but he will win the Most Improved Player of the Year (formerly known as the Comeback Player of the Year). He will lead the Bulls to the Eastern Conference title, and will make people forget how frustrating the past two seasons were for Bulls and basketball fans alike.

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