The Chicago Bulls still expect their star player Derrick rose to return this season, but not everyone is eager to rush the former league MVP back onto the court.
Ever since Rose tore his ACL in the first game of the playoffs last season, fans and team management have been counting the days until the athletically explosive point guard could don the red-and-black uniform for the Bulls and stymie opponents with his crossover dribble once again.
Bulls executive vice president John Paxson, general manager Gar Forman and coach Tom Thibodeau all have stated that Rose is expected to return at some point this season.
Dallas Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo, a personal friend of Rose, recently told ESPN Chicago that he expected his buddy to be back on the court this season, noting that Rose was "excited" at the prospect of returning.
"We grew up together," Mayo said. "We started playing each other since we were 8, 9 years old. So to see him go down, it was pretty heartbreaking. I know he's going to work hard to get back and be out there helping his team. I know it's killing him right now not to be able to get a chance to help his guys, but he's a great player and a hard worker so I know he'll get back to (being) himself."
Yet even with those expectations, there are others who think Rose should take his time and come back when he is good and ready.
High-profile college coach John Calipari, who coached Rose when he attended the University of Memphis, told the Chicago Tribune this week that his former star player should not be rushed towards getting back if he isn't ready to go.
"They don't need to mess with that one. You know what I'm saying," Calipari said. "Don't mess with that one. And, hey, he's so young, it doesn't matter. Really. In the scheme of the Bulls, one year doesn't matter when the kid is 24 years old. You know?"
Calipari said he talked to Rose recently, and that he was doing well mentally and physically.
"He was great," Calipari said. "He said to me, 'Wait till you see my body when I come back.' He even looked at it and said, 'You know what, Coach? I think this was meant to be because I was moving too fast. I needed to slow down and get my bearings back.' That's what he said to me.
"What a great kid. ... What a way to look at it."
Adidas Airs "The Return" Promo With Rose
The now-famous commercials with the hashtag of "#TheReturn" have been building the hype for Rose's comeback for months now.
And this week, the campaign has come to an end. Could this be a sign that Rose is closer to returning than we think?
Adidas aired the sixth and final part of the web series on Rose, which has chronicled his return and rehab from his injury this week on YouTube. Rose took the time to talk about many subjects on his mind during the grueling rehabilitation process that he has undergone for the last several months.
Rose said that he was particularly surprised by the positive response he has received from strangers and fans that approached him since the documentary series began, telling them how he had inspired them with his hard work.
"I hope people take this and run with it. It's just me. I'm just being real. And that's the way that my family raised me," he said.
On what drives him to return, Rose said it was all about the fans, and getting back to being able to thrill them on the court.
On his Twitter page, he tweeted the following on Tuesday. "I'm all in for my fans."
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