http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...9_1_derrick-rose-gar-forman-court-scrimmaging
All systems appear go for Bulls' Derrick Rose
Rehabbing guard playing in 5-on-5 full court scrimmages preparing for USA Basketball's late-July minicamp
June 18, 2014|By K.C. Johnson, Tribune reporter
The last summer of the Bulls inhabiting the Berto Center is the first summer of Derrick Rose's second act.
For weeks now, Rose has been playing five-on-five, taking full contact on his surgically-repaired knees and preparing to attend USA Basketball's late-July minicamp in Las Vegas in the hopes of making the World Cup team that will compete in Spain in late August through early September.
The offseason full court scrimmaging, not to mention working out in his hometown, represent departures for Rose, who tore his right meniscus last November just 10 games into his return from missing the 2012-13 season after left ACL surgery.
Rose typically opts for drill and intense conditioning work near his offseason home of Santa Monica, Calif., working alongside other high-profile players such as Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love. The change in strategy has been seamless.
It has allowed Rose to gain confidence and conditioning playing full court against teammates and various Chicago-area types with NBA ties in the suburban practice facility that soon will cede to the Bulls' new building across the street from the United Center.
And it has kept Rose closer to Bulls' personnel, including Jen Swanson. The Bulls hired Swanson last August as their director of sports performance after she worked closely with Rose throughout his ACL rehabilitation at a prominent Los Angeles clinic.
Rose began taking full contact in the form of one-on-one or two-on-two or three-on-three offday sessions late in the first-round playoff series against the Wizards. With no setbacks, Rose continued increasing the intensity of his workouts and began full court scrimmaging last month, sources said.
According to three people who either have played against Rose or witnessed his workouts, who requested anonymity, the 2011 NBA most valuable player is displaying both explosion and speed in games.
Of course, Rose must prove he can remain healthy over the course of an 82-game schedule after playing in just 50 regular- and postseason games over the last three seasons. Team physician Brian Cole re-attached Rose's right meniscus during surgery, which created a longer rehabilitation process but is the preferred method for limiting long-term issues.
A more efficient public relations practice, in which the Bulls ruled Rose out for the season directly after the surgery, aided Rose's second straight rehabilitation process.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said the day after the season-ending loss to the Wizards that Rose may participate in summer-league practices and scrimmages at the Berto Center leading up to participation in the NBA Summer League in July. Though Rose won't play in Las Vegas, that possibility remains in play.
It's all part of the plan to prepare Rose for the Team USA minicamp, which will run from July 28 through Aug. 1. General manager Gar Forman and Swanson, who was well-received by players in her first season, plan to attend. There also will be August training camp stops in New York and Chicago as the pool of 20 to 22 players gets whittled down to a roster of 12 for the World Cup of Basketball.
"I love Derrick; he's a special guy," USA Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said Tuesday on WGWG-FM 87.7 Chicago. "I feel bad that these last couple of years have interrupted what should be a sensational career for him. Hopefully, this will be a jump start to the NBA season and maybe we can win the World Cup along the way."
The last time Rose participated in international competition, Krzyzewski and Team USA won gold at the 2010 World Championships in Turkey. And Rose followed by becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history.
The Bulls would take that repeat history over Rose's recent repeat history of knee injuries any day.
