Derrick Rose's first game back from his second straight season-ending knee injury will almost certainly come before Chicago Bulls fans and in his United Center home arena.
USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo announced on Thursday not only will Rose be on hand for training camp in July, provided he's physically able, but he also plans to take Rose under his wings the same he did a rehabbing Dwyane Wade in 2008.
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"Although he wasn't quite ready, I went with him for the Olympic team," Colangelo told the Chicago Tribune of Wade. "And he turned out to be maybe our best player when we won gold at the Beijing Olympics."
Certainly the Bulls are hoping history repeats itself, as well as The Games prove to be the same springboard they've served as for Rose in the past. Rose starred on the 2010 gold medal-winning World Cup team and propelled him on his way to becoming the youngest MVP in league history.
As a tilt to Rose and that level of greatness, USA Basketball announced Wednesday Team USA will spend three days in Chicago this summer, including staging an Aug. 16 exhibition at The United Center.
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"Derrick is part of our family," said Colangelo. "If he's capable of going, the Bulls want him to go to camp. There's a lot to find out about where he is. For his own peace of mind, he needs to know that anyway. He has plenty of time between now and then to get ready."
Rose tore his right medial meniscus Nov. 22, and recently amped up his rehab regiment. "He's feeling great, which is the encouraging thing," said Thibodeau. "He's bouncing all over the place. The rehab is going very well."
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