Derrick Rose is doing well almost a month after his surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and has been getting support from other players, his brother said Tuesday.
Reggie Rose told ESPN Chicago his brother has been contacted by fellow NBA players Mike Miller of the Miami Heat and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers to offer their support in the wake of his surgery and long, grueling rehab that awaits him.
"He's actually doing great," said Reggie Rose. "He's going real good, which surprises me. I thought he was going to be beating himself up. I've seen him beat himself up over a game that wasn't his fault, just anything. He's such a competitive guy. I just thought he was going to beat himself up because that's the way he is, like he let someone down."
The elder Rose said his MVP brother is doing well from a mental and emotional standpoint and that the support he's gotten has surprised him.
"He's staying focused and has a positive attitude. I think he's doing great because we as a family we're all around him. No one is looking at him like, 'Aww, you let us down.' It's more supportive than anything."
Rose injured himself late in the fourth quarter of the Bulls first round playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers on April 28th. He underwent surgery to repair his knee a couple of weeks later on May 12th.
Rose's initial prognosis to return to action is anywhere from eight to 12 months, according to Bulls team physician Dr. Brian Cole, who performed the ACL repair on the Bulls' young superstar.
Cole said the risk of re-injury is low, but said the mental aspect will be the hardest part for Rose to overcome. Cole said Rose must now learn to trust his knee again once he's cleared to resume basketball activities.
The 66-game lockout shortened season was a brutal one for Rose as he suffered five different injuries (toe, back spasms, groin, ankle, foot) leading up to his ACL tear. He missed 27 games during the 2011-2012 campaign after missing just six games total during his first three years in the NBA.
Most saw this as the year the Bulls could have won their seventh NBA championship had Rose been able to remain healthy, but injuries are an unfortunate part of the game and dreams of another Grant Park rally will have to wait a little while longer.
