Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose hasn’t played in an NBA basketball game for 18 months. He sat out for the entire 2012-2013 season, recovering from a torn ACL injury. But in a recent interview Rose did not seem to have any doubt that he will return to NBA competition this season, better than ever.
“With me, I was always kind of strong, but the way that I play, I hit tricky lay-ups and all of that stuff because going to the hole in my neighborhood, they don’t call any fouls, so I was just used to hitting all types of shots,” he told Slam magazine. “Now this year, I got a little more strength behind me, so I think going to the hole, taking those shots, I’ll be able to finish a lot stronger this year.
“I think I’m a lot quicker, a lot more explosive, and I think I’m gonna go this year without that many nagging injuries, just trying to prevent it by stretching and doing all the things I have to do to take care of my body. When you first come in the League and you’re talented and you’re athletic, you don’t care about stretching or anything. But now it’s my sixth year, so you really have to look at that and take that more seriously so I can prevent all of the little injuries.”
The Bulls, especially with Rose on the court, are expected to be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. They may be the only team that can bring down the current reigning champs Miami Heat.
