Derrick Rose has had multiple chances to prove himself since his brief but brilliant prime was destroyed by knee injuries. In Chicago (post-injuries) and then New York, Rose was OK, but not a particularly good player – at least not consistently.
Now, his contract is up and he’s in Cleveland on a minimum deal, as a backup point guard. He has more to prove now than ever before, and he’s confident that his career isn’t over. From Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press:
Rose knows people doubt whether he can still play. He doesn’t share those doubts. And though he won’t say so, he wouldn’t mind proving some wrong.
“When I get on a good team and I’m still hooping the same way, what are you going to say then?” Rose said. “The only thing that you’ll can say is that I can still play.”
At his peak, Rose was an MVP. Now, he’s a backup. He’s undoubtedly fallen a long way, and he’ll never be that MVP-caliber player again. He’s probably hoping, however, to use this season as a chance to show that he’s still a starting-caliber player, at the very least.
