Getty New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose handles the ball during a bout with the New York Knicks.
Despite the incredible amount of success the franchise achieved during those 1990s glory days, the Chicago Bulls have left an incredible amount of what-ifs in their wake over the years.
What if Michael Jordan hadn’t retired the first time? Or the second time? What if Phil Jackson hadn’t run afoul of Jerry Krause? What if Jay Williams hadn’t gotten in that accident? What if so many eggs hadn’t been place in Ben Wallace’s basket? What if Lonzo Ball had played in all 82 games last season?
For all the what-ifs Bulls fans have rolling around their heads, though, the biggest might be this — what if Derrick Rose had stayed healthy and maintained his MVP level for three, five, seven more years?
Alas, Rose’s Bulls run ended with a whimper and the baller struggled to find his footing again for multiple years. Flash forward to now, though, and things are going much better for Rose, who has settled into a niche as a microwave scorer and floor leader off the bench in NYC.
Moreover, he looks to be rebounding in an incredible way from his latest injury setback.
Rose Discusses Injury in Knicks Hype Video
The Grind Doesn’t Stop 🌹
The 33-year-old last played in a December game against the Houston Rockets, which saw him suffer a right ankle injury. After going under the knife and rehabbing, Rose looked to be on the verge of a return around the trade deadline when a skin infection on the ankle necessitated a second surgery.
Even then, there was hope he would be back before season’s end, but nothing ever came to fruition.
Earlier in the week, the New York Knicks released a hype package teasing Rose’s big return to the lineup this season. The 42-second video featured clips of the ex-Bull working out and discussing his latest comeback journey.
“Just grinding — head down, tunnel vision and enjoying it with the guys,” Rose said of the process, while lamenting the way his 2021-22 season played out. “Last year, I — I can only say so much, do so much when your injured.”
The Former NBA MVP Sends a Strong Message on His Health
At that point in the video, Rose made a proclamation that should excite Knicks and Bulls fans alike. One that may indicate he’s about to have a resurgent year in the Big Apple.
“I haven’t felt this healthy in a long time. [I’m] back to my rookie weight — 195 right now. It’s been, what, 13 years since I’ve been that weight. So, it’s a blessing.”
At his MVP peak during the 2010-11 season, Rose averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. More recently, he put up 18, four and three while shooting 37% from deep during his big comeback year in 2018-19 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
And during the stretch run of Knicks’ 2020-21 playoff year, he was a 15-point scorer and 41.1% shooter off the bench for his longtime coach, Tom Thibodeau.
We’ll see whether he can actually reclaim his super-sub status in the months to come, but Rose’s commentary on where he’s at now seemingly points toward him being an impact player once again in 2022-23.