Derrick Rose is back with the Cleveland Cavaliers after he took a leave of absence from the team to contemplate his future, but he says there’s nothing weighing him down now as he plots his return to basketball.
Rose spoke to Marc Spears of The Undefeated on Monday and talked about his road back to basketball after taking some time near Thanksgiving to reevaluate whether he wanted to return to the court after another string of injuries.
Rose pleaded for patience from fans that want to see him back on the court, but tried to assuage worries that he might not be in the best mental state as he mounts yet another return. It’s always a question people have when a player physically leaves a team to evaluate whether they want to continue their career, but isn’t necessarily fair.
But Rose is confident he’s the “total opposite” of depressed and asked people not to worry about him.
“Be patient. I’m good. I’m just taking my time,” Rose said. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m not depressed. I’m good. A lot of people think I’m depressed because of what I’m going through. It’s the total opposite. I learned from my mistakes three or four years ago when I put myself into a shell.
“And now that I am in this position, it’s only right that I learn from the best. I’m staying with my team, staying with my family, communicating and just being open.”
It’s a touchy subject because mental health concerns often are seen in sports as a sign of weakness rather than an actual concern for Rose’s wellbeing. But if Rose is to be believed, there’s nothing to be worried about here. He’ll be back sooner rather than later, and the Cavaliers will get another piece of their postseason run back eventually.
