Bulls' Rose still unsure of return
Ten months removed from surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose told reporters Tuesday that he's still unsure whether he'll play this season, despite having suffered no setbacks.
"I'm waiting to that day where I feel normal," Rose said. "Until then, I will just wait. I haven't had any pressure from the organization. No one has to push me to go out there to play.
"My teammates have been doing great, playing hard for me. They're out there fighting, so that's a good sign. And we're winning games. So I'm not worried about anything right now."
Rose has participated on 5-on-5 drills for a few weeks and has reportedly been cleared to play, but other factors have interfered. One has been speculation regarding his mental state.
On that topic, he said: "I think I can do everything. It's just me having the confidence to do it ... When I'm out there not thinking and just reacting, that's how I know I'll be ready."
Responding to critics who wonder why Rose hasn't returned to help a floundering team, the guard takes a big picture approach.
"If I rush back and something was to happen, everybody would say why did you rush back?" he said. "I'm just coming back when I feel normal. If that's in a couple days, that's great. If it's not, I'm fine."
