Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose tore his right meniscus Friday, November 22 against the Portland Trailblazers, effectively ending his 2013-2014 season just 10 games into his return from a left ACL tear in 2012. With this being his second season-ending injury in less than three years, questions now arise as to whether Rose can ever return to his MVP-worthy play.
I, as well as many other fans in a city as basketball-crazed as Chicago, have to come to terms with such an unfortunate event. Despite this career threatening injury, Bulls fans continue to hold out hope for Rose’s potential resurgence. Bulls fans, players, and management alike must acknowledge: Derrick Rose will never be the player he once was.
Why make such a bold, seemingly pessimistic statement?
Rose relies heavily on his own explosiveness, consistently darting into the interior of the defense to force contact with the opponent. In fact, according to basketball reference, Rose has attempted 4,300 two-point shots in his six year career, as opposed to 737 three-point attempts. This type of stat line is evidence that Rose is unwilling to settle for lower percentage shots. Instead, he maneuvers his body into the teeth of the defense which will only increase the possibility of another injury.
His grind-it-out approach, combined with a tendency to make quick cuts and dramatic lateral movements, places heavy stress on his knees. And the sad truth is that, after two major surgeries on each knee, Rose will simply be unable to rely on his once- unstoppable explosiveness.
Also, Rose’s post-surgery outlook is dampened by the historical precedents set by injury-ridden players such as Grant Hill and Brandon Roy. Both players showed tons of promise early in their careers. Similar to Rose, both averaged 16-plus points in each of their respective rookie seasons, and each won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
However, Hill never quite fulfilled expectations, as injuries derailed a nineteen year career that, while lengthy, never truly lived up to the hype. Similarly, Roy’s impressive beginning to his NBA career will always be overshadowed by a degenerative knee disease that forced him to retire after only seven years. After considering the significant effect these injuries had on former stars, one can only wonder if the same fate awaits Rose.
The mental effect of suffering two injuries in two years is also overlooked. Rose has played only 49 games since the start of the 2011-2012 season, a fact that might create a mental barrier. Because of the injuries to both knees, he’ll most likely have a lingering fear of re-injury in the back of his head every time he lands awkwardly.
Don’t get me wrong. I personally love Rose. And I wholeheartedly agree with John Calipari his coach at Memphis, after he posted on Twitter, “If there’s anyone who can bounce back from this, it’s Derrick Rose.” I hope he can return from injury and play at a high level for years to come. But in reality, I know the damage is done. Derrick Rose will never be the same.