Derrick Rose Says He Is 100 Percent Healthy, Ready To Return In Chicago Bulls’ First Game Next Season

Derrick Rose missed the entire 2012-13 season, but the Chicago Bulls superstar erased doubts about his health by saying that he is ready to make his much-awaited return next season.

HoopsHype reported that Rose told reporters at an Adidas promotion tour in Spain that he is already 100 percent healthy, while also saying that he will definitely be ready in the Bulls' first game next season.

"I should be able to play in the first game of the season. I know I'm anxious right now to play. My health is everything right now, it's 100 percent. But right now, the first game, I will definitely be playing it," Rose said.

Rose missed the entire season after recovering from a surgery that repaired a torn ACL in his left knee. The former Most Valuable Player was due to return in the latter part of last season, but his comeback was delayed several times because Rose felt the he is not yet mentally ready.

When asked if he has already overcome the mental aspect of his recovery, Rose, who revealed that he spent a lot of time talking to Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau in the past few weeks, declared that he is ready to go, physically and mentally.

"Mentally, I'm just strong as I've been. I had the time to think about what's important in my life, getting better on the court, watching a lot of film with Thibodeau, asking him questions, talking to him about two times a week. So he's been kind of a professor to me," Rose said.

Criticisms were thrown into Rose during the latter part last season, including the playoffs for not suiting up despite being declared healthy by his doctors. But coach Thibodeau stood by his superstar point guard and was very vocal about his full support for Rose.

In an interview with Grantland during a recent Las Vegas Summer League game, Thibodeau said that Rose's decision to sit out the rest of last season turned out to be a good one because it gave him additional time to regain confidence in his surgically-repaired knee.

"He tried as hard as he possibly could, he couldn't quite get there, and I think he made a smart decision. His game is a lot different than most - very explosive, change-of-direction type of guy. What the summer has done is given him additional time to build strength and confidence in his knee," Thibodeau said.

Without Rose last season, the Bulls reached the second round of the playoffs after defeating fourth-seeded Brooklyn Nets in an exciting seven-game first-round series. They also defeated the Miami Heat in game one of their second-round playoffs series, but the eventual champions prevailed over the Bulls' depleted squad.