Derrick Rose Has Likely Won Team USA Spot

Derrick Rose has been drawing rave reviews for his play in Vegas during Team USA tryouts before the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. National Team coach Mike Krzyzewksi said Rose was better than four years ago when Rose won the league MVP, and another college coach, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, said he’s been the most impressive player at the camp. So it’s no wonder Rose is making the team as he inadvertently let slip in Vegas yesterday.

By way of Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, comes Derrick’s unintentional admission he’s made the squad:

In discussing new Bulls teammate Pau Gasol, who was signed as a free agent earlier in the month, Rose mistakenly said, “I talked to [Gasol] before he signed and he said when we get to Spain [for next month’s FIBA Cup] that we’ll probably get something to eat, so I’ll probably catch up with him, get dinner or something.’’

Call it Rose already knowing something or just having flat-out confidence in his ability.

Go with the latter, because if there is one thing Rose is not lacking these days it’s confidence.

In Day 3 of tryouts, Rose continued to show the explosiveness he’d already exhibited since Day 1 of camp, including a nifty block on young Jazz quard Trey Burke.

He also knocked down a tough runner in the lane…

And showed his comfort on the jumper from the corner:

Bulls GM Gar Forman, who brought in Pau Gasol and drafted Doug McDermott this summer, was equally as enthused with the way Rose has looked:

“He has been terrific. He looks strong. He looks confident. He looks explosive. It’s been really, really encouraging.”

Not for the other point guards in the camp — reports say Kyrie Irving or John Wall might have to be left at home — and not for an Eastern Conference that’s only seen Rose appear in 10 games over the last two seasons.

Rose is back, as his play has shown, and as he acknowledged to Cowley yesterday, “This [Bulls team will be] the most talented team I’ve played on in my NBA career, to tell you the truth.”