D. Rose: It Was All Good Just a Week Ago

This time last week, Derrick Rose was enjoying a stretch of some of the best basketball he had played all year.  Though he was not back to the all-star level of 2011, he was making progress.  He was becoming confident in his ability to move on the court.  The mental injury he suffered in 2012 was moving towards the back of his mind, or so it seemed.  I remember thinking that D. Rose would return to form by March or April 2014.  I was not sure that he would return to MVP level, but I was sure that it would be much better than what we had seen up until his most recent injury.  Then, it happened, again.  

The "it" was yet another horrific knee injury.  This injury was the second time in as many years that he sustained a horrible knee injury while performing a normal basketball move.  I believe it is much easier to deal with an injury when you know exactly what caused it.  For instance, if you sprain or break your ankle because you land awkwardly on someone else's foot, you can logically deduce that an injury would occur.  However, in Rose's case, nothing unusual happened.  He was simply doing what he normally does and was severely injured in the process.  Mentally, that has to be a very tough pill to swallow.

I am not a physician, but I deal with personal injury matters on a daily basis.  I would be willing to bet that Rose's right knee injury was a result of him overcompensating for his  reconstructed left knee.  The human body is very sensitive and sometimes, the slightest change can adversely impact it.  Have you ever sprained your back and then noticed pain in your legs?  If you have, then you know exactly what I mean.  The only way to avoid overcompensating for one body part is to truly be confident that you are healthy.  The slightest thought of doubt can  lead to second guessing which can lead to further injury.  I believe that is what happened to Rose.  

Major injuries have ruined, or at least shorted, the careers of many great players.  Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Tracey McGrady and Yao Ming come to mind immediately.  Each player, when healthy, was one of the best in the game.  However, because of bad knees, ankles and backs, their careers were shortened.  I hope Rose will be able to make a complete comeback and be the player that he once was, but I must say that I am not convinced.  

What made Derrick Rose a superstar in the NBA?  His athleticism, power, explosiveness and reckless disregard for contact.  He was able to play at 150 miles per hour with no fear of injury.  He was a below average shooter and his court vision was decent, but not great.  You would not say he was a great point guard, but you would say he was a great player.  He played hard at all times and when his basketball intellect failed, his athleticism more than made up for it. If his legs are not healthy, and more importantly, if his mind is not settled, he will likely never be the player many of us enjoyed watching.  

In order for him to become an all-star caliber player once again, and I think he can, he will need to modify his game. If you look at Chris Paul's game before his knee problems, he was a lot more explosive.  However, because he is such an intelligent player, he modified his game so he could be dominant, albeit in a slightly different manner.  If Rose is able to realize that he might not lead the NBA in highlight reel dunks, I think he can still be very productive and reach an all-star level.  He will certainly need to improve his jump shot and his ability to probe defenses during pick-and-roll situations.  He will need to work on his change-of-pace moves as well.  I hope he is able and willing to make the changes necessary to prolong his career.

The Chicago Bulls have to go in a different direction with the franchise.  They can no longer continue to wait for Rose to save them.  The organization needs to look for another "A" level player to compliment Rose.  If that means that Derrick Rose becomes the second best player on his team, so be it.  His knees will not allow him to carry a team for 82 games and into the playoffs like he was once able to do.  They can likely package Deng and maybe Boozer together in a deal for another superstar talent.  Let's be honest, when is the last time you saw a team with one star win an NBA Championship?  It was unrealistic to think that Rose and a bunch of role players would be able to do it.  If Rose is able to get over his mental injury, and if he is able to modify his game, I think he will have a long, successful career ahead of him.  If not, we may be saying the infamous words "it was all good just a week ago" yet again.  

Peace