Sometimes, luck is simply not on your side when it comes to injuries. Certain players always seem to get hurt more than others for one reason or another, and Derrick Rose is really starting to fall into the category of more oft-injured than not.
Rose has worked tirelessly over the past couple of years to come back as one of the most explosive players in the league after suffering a couple of devastating knee injuries. He played in the FIBA World Cup over the summer and struggled mightily, but showed in small doses his ability to get to the rim with full force, and has looked much better so far in NBA action.
Unfortunately, he suffered a tweak in both of his ankles in just the second game of the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct 31, and proceeded to miss the next two games. He returned on Nov. 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks despite feeling less than 100 percent and helped the team secure a 95-86 victory on the road. However, he would go on to miss the next two games again due to soreness of the ankles, before making his return against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 10.
Asked about his decision to miss some of those games, Rose had an unexpectedly-interesting answer, from Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago:
“I’m good, man,” Rose said. “I felt like I’ve been managing myself pretty good. I know a lot of people get mad when they see me sit out or whatever, but I think a lot of people don’t understand that … when I sit out it’s not because of this year.
“I’m thinking about long term. I’m thinking about after I’m done with basketball. Having graduations to go to, having meetings to go to, I don’t want to be in my meetings all sore or be at my son’s graduation all sore just because of something I did in the past. [I’m] just learning and being smart.”
[…]
“I feel good,” Rose said. “Just happy that I took the days off. Lifted a couple of days, really got some lifts in and got my body together and just try and continue to be positive and keep things going.”
What?
It’s one thing to miss games because you are recovering from ankle sprains, and you’d have to be a giant ass to criticize someone for doing that. However, it’s another story to miss games because you’re concerned about what you might be feeling 15-20 years down the road. Feeling certain soreness from years of playing basketball is inevitable for most players and professional athletes in general. For Rose to say he sits out games thinking about how he’ll feel when he goes to his son’s graduation (just one of the examples he provided) is beyond looking ahead and not really a reasonable excuse to miss games right now. Of course, everyone cares about their health and they should, but what Rose said is equivalent to me saying I’m going to miss work today because it’s going to be stressful and I don’t want all that stress built up for when I get a little older. Basically, it’s the excuse of a really, really high maintenance person.
Sympathizing with Rose is easy to do. He has gone through life-altering injuries over the last couple of years, and most certainly has a different outlook on how he needs to take care of himself. Again, no one can fault him if he can’t suit up because of ankle sprains, but maybe he can do without the whole “I’m sitting out games because I care about what I’ll feel when I’m not playing basketball anymore” thing. He can care about that in his own way and it’s his right, but missing games for that reason just doesn’t cut it when you’re a professional athlete paid millions to do what you do, especially when you’re as high-profile as Rose.
So did Rose miss those games purely because he just didn’t feel comfortable enough with those sprains? Or did he miss it because of the sore ankles and the concern over whether he might have some sore ankles when he wants to walk his grandchildren to the ice cream truck one day? If it’s the former, perfectly fine. If it’s the latter? Come on.
Of course, everyone on the Bulls fully supports Rose’s decisions and thoughts, including his former teammate John Lucas III:
I just SMH at some of the stories that I read About my homie D Rose. It’s funny how when u speak the truth about something they still find
— John Lucas III (@Luke1luk) November 12, 2014
Away about saying something negative about you. If they only knew what he has put his body thru to get back. So they can miss me with this.
— John Lucas III (@Luke1luk) November 12, 2014
Tom Thibodeau was asked to comment on Rose’s comments, and here’s what the coach had to say, via K.C. Johnson of Chicago Tribune:
Thibs on Rose: “The bottom line is this: He was injured and did the right thing.”
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 12, 2014
Thibodeau defending Rose. Did say, while not knowing full context, we all say things we could’ve said better.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 12, 2014
Maybe that’s just it. Perhaps Rose just wanted to say he does think about his overall health for when he’s done playing (who doesn’t?) but expressed it in the wrong way in this case, or in a way where it could really be misconstrued. That’s what I’m hoping for, anyway.
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James Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.