Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is not expecting Derrick Rose to return to the team this season, but the veteran coach is hoping that the superstar guard will be ready to play for Team USA this summer.
In an interview with Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago, Thibodeau expressed hope that Rose, who is recovering from a second major knee injury, will see action in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain in September.
"Oh, absolutely," Thibodeau said when asked if he wants Rose to play for the national basketball team again. "If he's healthy and he's cleared -- like I thought it was a great experience for him before. I know he'd like to do it. I know how USA Basketball feels about him. If he's cleared to do it, I'd love to see him do it."
Thibodeau, who is one of Team USA's assistant coaches, pointed out that Rose's previous stint with Team USA worked wonders for the 25-year-old superstar.
After the 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Turkey, Rose showed improved confidence, which led to him becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history during the 2010-11 NBA season.
"I think there's been great benefits from it, particularly for Derrick," Thibodeau stressed. "I thought [his World Championships experience in 2010] had a lot to do with him having the great year, the MVP year."
Rose is still not close to practicing with the team as indicated by recent reports, but Thibodeau is not ruling out the possibility of having their superstar in practice before the end of the current season, saying that the three-time All-Star has been showing positive signs over the past several weeks.
"He's doing fine," Thibodeau said of Rose. "He's doing a little bit more, but he's nowhere close to practice so at this point maybe he'll get a couple practices at the end [of the season], but we just want him to lock into the rehab and making sure that he's 100 percent healthy."
Rose returned from a long layoff this season due to an ACL injury in his left knee, but his return was cut short after tearing a meniscus in his right knee just in his 10th game this season.
