It may have taken him visiting another country to do it, but Derrick Rose has officially declared himself “100 percent” and “able to play in the first game of the season.”
At an Adidas event in Spain, Rose told Hoopshype.com “my health is everything, but right now the first game… I definitely will be playing it.”
Rose sat out all of last season following ACL surgery and last suited up for the Chicago Bulls in the opening round of the 2012 playoffs against Philadelphia. But now he clearly has another date circled on his calendar.
“We will play in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on October 12,” he told HoopsHype of the Bulls pre-season opener and the first NBA game to ever be played in Rio. “So, that’s going to be a big game not only for the Bulls but for the NBA. Just some minutes out there, see how it feels to be back on the court and enjoy the experience. I know everybody is going to be watching, but I have a lot of confidence in myself.”
Though it’s been a while since he competed at the NBA level, Rose stressed he’s never felt more prepared. “Mentally, I’m just strong as I’ve been,” he said. “I had the time to think about what’s important in my life, getting better on the court, watching a lot of film with Thibs, asking him questions, talking to him about two times a week. He’s been kind of a professor to me.”
The 2011 league MVP adds he knows just what to expect this upcoming season. “This season is huge for us,” he said. “We’re definitely a contender for the title. I’ve been talking to my guys, trying to be more of a vocal leader, let them know that I will be there next year.”
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