Bulls point guard Derrick Rose underwent a meniscectomy on February 27 to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. Following the surgery, GM Gar Forman announced that the procedure was minor and provided a timeframe of four-to-six weeks for Rose’s return to the court.
Nearly two weeks later, Rose met with the media on Monday evening for the first time since the surgery and was asked for an update. He remained noncommittal on a possible return date:
“Who knows? Whenever I feel well that’s when I’ll step back on the court.”
Uh oh. Granted, it would be unfair to expect an injured athlete to provide a definitive date for his return to the court, but remember, this media session occurred fewer than two weeks after Forman did exactly that. So, was Rose okay with Forman providing a more formal schedule for his convalescence following his surgery?
“Who cares? I’m not even thinking about that right now.”
Asking “who cares” may be rhetorical in Rose’s eyes, but it’s unfortunate he doesn’t realize the implications of such a hazy, existential answer. A lot of people care. Everyone who witnessed his press conference cares, in addition to every single Bulls fan who realizes that the team’s success in the playoffs this year might hinge on how long it’ll take him to recuperate.
If Rose truly isn’t sure he’ll be back within the team’s original timeframe, that’s fine. But Bulls fans expect him to do everything in his power to return this season, specifically in time for the playoffs. Unfortunately, that’s not the impression he gave on Monday. Then again, the only thing that matters is what Rose does, not what he says. It may be time to stop listening to him.
