Opinion: Derrick Rose, Chicago's Humbly Defiant Superstar

Two knee surgeries later, D. Rose is still as confident as ever in his abilities and doesn't understand why people doubt him

 It was as almost as if Derrick Rose didn’t understand the question. And not the question being asked, but why it was being asked in the first place.

The question was this: should the Chicago Bulls move on now that he’s had two consecutive knee injuries, both requiring surgery?

“That the Bulls should move on? What you mean by that,” he asked, half smiling, almost as if to make sure he’d heard correctly.

After the question was explained and elaborated upon further, Rose said, almost to himself, “What can I say to that?”

And then he seemed to go into deep thought and took his time before he gave his answer. 12 seconds, in fact, but it seemed like so much longer.

Derrick Rose is very aware of the negative things that have been said about him since his ACL injury and what was perceived by fans to be a refusal on his part to play last season. But Rose maintained the high road, seemed to take it all in stride, and even said that in a way, he understood why people would’ve been upset

But move on? The Chicago Bulls go in a direction that doesn’t include him? No, he didn’t understand that question at all.

Finally, his answer came and he matter of factly replied, “You can be a fool if you want. [I’m] dead serious; I know I’m going to be alright.”

Even in his defiance, Derrick Rose came off humbly. It’s why he’s one of the more respected players around the league because everything he says, he believes.

D. Rose has a remarkable ability to ignore the negativity on the outside and stay within the confidence he has in himself that keeps him in a positive mindset. To him, two knee injuries mean nothing and in his mind, he won’t be diminished as player, despite the fact that history is not on his side.

But if anyone thought the Englewood native would be broken mentally after this latest career setback, they were sorely mistaken. Derrick Rose is just as confident a player two knee surgeries later, as he was when he first stepped into the league.

So even though he may not understand why people doubt him, Derrick Rose still seems to be as determined as ever to prove everyone wrong.

“My faith is good, my spirit is good, and I’ll be back … I’m used to being in this position. I’ve been in this position my whole life – an underdog,” he said. “I couldn’t care less what people say about me or criticize my game or how I play. How I play is how I play, and that’s hard. Like I said, I can get hurt 10 more times, as long as I’m playing hard and giving the game my all, I can live with it for the rest of my life.”

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