Derrick Rose on Sitting Out: ‘Just Body Fatigue’

Following major surgeries on both knees, there’s always cause for concern whenever Derrick Rose chooses (or is unable) to suit up. After sitting out consecutive practices, Team USA held out Rose Wednesday night as a late scratch in a laugher against the Dominican Republic.

Both parties continue to say that they’re just being extra-cautious with the former NBA MVP’s return to action, and that there’s nothing to worry about health-wise. Per NBA.com and ESPN:

“The crowd, them chanting your name four or five times, I’m like, ‘Come on,'” Rose said after Team USA’s 105-62 demolition of the Dominican Republic. “I want to be out there, but at the same time, my health is the No. 1 issue right now.”

 

“We went in with the idea that, as long as he’s feeling good, he’s gonna play [for Team USA],” Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s gotta play at some point. He’s basically been out for three years, so he’s gotta play, and I think this is a great setting for him — as I’ve mentioned many times — because of the depth of the team. … You have Kyrie, Damian [Lillard], James [Harden]; there’s so many guys. He doesn’t have to play a lot of minutes or have the burden of scoring big. He just has to go out there and find a rhythm and run the team. With all the depth on the team, it’s ideal for him. But if he needs rest, we’re gonna give him rest. It’s gonna be a process for him coming back. There’s gonna be some days where he has some soreness. And when he has some soreness, we’re gonna be smart.”

 

After insisting that his problem was “general soreness,” to use Thibodeau’s description, as opposed to knee-specific discomfort, Rose said: “For sure, this is huge for me, just for my game. I don’t [have] to go out there and score 25, 30 points every night.” […] Adamant that his fans “don’t have to worry” that his knees are acting up, Rose vowed to practice Thursday and play here Friday night against Puerto Rico and “try to put on a show.”