Derrick Rose expands on Super Team comment: 'I'm not taking that back'
A few weeks ago, Derrick Rose caused a bit of a stir when he curiously said that some people put the New York Knicks in the same “Super Team” class as the Golden State Warriors.
In an interview published earlier this week from Seoul, South Korea, Rose expanded on those comments, explaining that they stemmed from his self confidence and confidence in his team.
“I still believe that,” Rose said. “Like I said, with that Super Team term, you have to be very careful I guess if you’re in the United States. But I feel like if you’re in any team in the NBA, it don’t have to be the NBA, it could be the college level, high school level, you should believe in yourself and have the confidence in yourself that you’re playing on a super team anywhere. So I have a lot of confidence and I’m not taking that back.”
Rose also addressed a number of basketball topics during two interviews on his trip to South Korea to promote his new sneakers.
In comments that may ease the fears of Knicks fans who worry that Kristaps Porzingis may not get enough touches with Rose around, the point guard said he plans to “share the ball more” in 2016-17, as he did last season.
“We have more options on this team. With the Bulls, we had more options too but the offense really went through me and Jimmy (Butler),” Rose said. “With the Knicks, we have (Kristaps Porzingis), we have (Carmelo Anthony), we have (Joakim Noah) rolling to the rim. We’ve got Courtney (Lee).”
Both Rose and Anthony used more than 27 percent of their team’s possessions while on the floor last season. For those concerned with Porzingis’ touches in his second season, this is something to keep an eye on.
Anthony said in a recent interview with NBA TV that he wants Rose to “have fun” playing again, and suggested that a change of scenery could benefit the former Bulls star.
Rose, a free agent in 2017, hinted at that motivation when he discussed the Knicks’ mindset heading into the season.
“We have to go in and we have to prove something, all of us want to prove something. Bringing a group like that together can be very dangerous if we all come together the right way.”
Rose also touches on others being disappointed in his injuries and his approach at point guard in interviews here and here (see parts 1, 2, 3, 4).
