Andrew Seligman of the Associated Press (via the Star Tribune) hears that Derrick Rose's surgically repaired knee is getting better and that he has been able to start jumping just "a couple of days ago." The Bulls guard recently unveiled his new sneaker and apparel line with Adidas, where both he and his older brother Reggie later spoke glowingly about his progression this summer. On a related note, Adam Fluck of Bulls.com recently caught up with the former MVP to ask him about his recovery and thoughts on the Chicago's acquisitions this offseason. Here are more highlights from the interview..
On the overall development of his rehab:
“I got through the hard part I think…At first, I couldn’t believe it at all. But now, I have a lot of confidence in myself…I appreciate everything—bending my leg, getting rid of my crutches and braces, sleeping without the brace..I could go on and on, but I know where I’ve come from and I’ll never forget that. That’s why I say it’s going to make me a better player…My rehab is good, my leg is getting a lot stronger and I’m able to run a little bit more. My body is feeling good. I’m in a peaceful place right now.”
"I don’t know what to expect (when I return), I just know it’s going to be something good. It won’t just surprise you; it’s going to surprise me as well.”
On the Bulls re-acquiring Kirk Hinrich:
"…knowing what kind of player he is, as well as the type of person that he is—he’s a guy who wants to win. You’ve got to go with that, if anything. I’m the same way where I want to win at everything. So I know that I’m going to have somebody back there who is going to be fighting with me.”
Regarding the large influx of new reserves and the departure of many teammates:
“I’m going to miss those guys knowing what we went through those two years together…We were the ones that helped build this Bulls image—we played hard. For them to be gone, I’ll definitely miss them, but it’s the league and things change. We’ve got to work with the guys that we have now. We’re still young, we’re hungry and we want to win. I’m with my teammates no matter what.”
I feel for Rose and other players who suffer injuries like this. I recently dislocated my shoulder for the 5th time and this time was the last straw for my labrum. I’m doing physical therapy now until surgery to get stronger so my recovery time can be 3 months. You gain a real appreciation when you have something like this happens. Going to bed in a brace or sling is extremely uncomfortable and you wake up stiff and have to get through the pain and dedicate yourself to coming back. Hats off to Rose and all other athletes as I finally know first hand how it feels.