How far will a healthy Derrick Rose lead Knicks in 2022-23?
Derrick Rose has always been a fan favorite no matter where he is. Whether it be the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, or Detroit Pistons, Rose has always been beloved. Not only do the fans love him, but franchises do as well. The way he carries himself and goes about the game is something teams idolize.
Now, in his second stint with the New York Knicks, the former league MVP should have fans even more excited about him suiting up this season.
Knicks’ Derrick Rose and Tom Thibodeau are at it for the eighth time
Rose and Tom Thibodeau have a built a relationship that will last long beyond basketball. The two of them have built trust as Thibodeau leans on Rose because of his familiarity with his system. Now, coming into this season, it will be their eighth go-round together, and the youngest league MVP ever is expecting high-level basketball for the Knickerbockers.
A couple of weeks ago it was NBA Media Day, and Derrick Rose, a player that is not known to speak many words, had some things to say regarding the nature of the locker room. Accountability was the keyword in his speech.
He said that he expects players to hold each other accountable and accept constructive criticism as men and professionals.
President Leon Rose labeled Derrick as “the heart and soul” of the team once he returned to New York, and that showed during the playoffs two years ago. D-Rose downplayed the compliment but admitted that he really wants to win.
His dedication shows as he dropped 20 pounds in the offseason. Coach Thibodeau challenged him to get in better shape and he responded. No wonder why Thibs loves the guy! In a flurry of texts and calls, according to Rose, Thibodeau told him the truth. “He was on my ass the whole time,” Rose said during Media Day.
Rose’s last regular season game was on Dec. 16 and he weighed around 215 pounds. Nearly a year later, he weighs around 193. He looks just as healthy as he did at the beginning of his career. Now, at 33 years old, Rose took this offseason more seriously. He stayed away from sugar and junk food and was a gym rat.
You can tell that Rose is proud of his transformation because he was seen with his shirt off at workouts (even Leon Rose mentioned it in his private interview). He even spoke in front of reporters on Media Day with no shirt on.
On Tuesday, in their preseason home opener, Thibs let his veteran point guard rest. Rose only logged six minutes and finished with a +/- of +5. He did look good in those six minutes, though. Lean and mean!
There’s no doubt that Derrick Rose can be as impactful as any player in the league when he is on the court. Now that he is 100 percent healthy, you know what fans are thinking. A return to the postseason, perhaps? Who knows, but there’s a long season ahead of us and we’re ecstatic to see a shredded D-Rose controlling the court.
