He’s baaaaack.
Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose finally returned to the court on Saturday, 525 days after tearing his ACL in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Rose was almost as explosive as he was before his injury, scoring 13 points in 20 minutes against the Indiana Pacers.
He looked fine both physically and mentally, which was what he wanted when he sat out all of last season.
Frankly, he was right when he delayed his return.
For those still criticizing Rose for being afraid to come back last year when the Miami Heat outmatched the Bulls in the postseason, how is Robert Griffin III doing following his early return from an ACL tear?
Let’s just say Griffin III could’ve used a bit more time.
Rose’s return couldn’t have been better timed. With a completely healthy Rose, who is using training camp to rebuild chemistry with teammates, the Bulls are immediate contenders again.
The Heat are an older team this season, and with the Pacers now recognized as a powerhouse and the Brooklyn Nets emerging as a contender in the Eastern Conference, this is when Chicago needs him the most.
Rose needed all the time he had to make a full recovery, and the Bulls supported him. With that vision now realized and the Bulls’ likely chances of being a top-three team in the East, that criticism doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
Reach the columnist at jnacion@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Josh_Nacion
