Derrick Rose is expected to become fully healthy this summer, and USA Basketball is hoping that the Chicago Bulls superstar will be ready to play for the national team this summer.
In an interview with ESPN, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said that Rose has a good chance of making the team that will compete in the 2014 FIBA World Cup if he can prove in training camp that he is indeed healthy.
"I think he needs to find out just where he is physically," Colangelo said. "So he is welcome to come to our camp, he is welcome to show us where he is. I think if nothing else, worst-case scenario, he practices and sees that he's either not ready or he is ready. And if he's ready, he has a chance to make the team."
Rose suffered another setback earlier this season, sustaining a torn meniscus in his right knee just in his 10th game coming off a long layoff due to an ACL injury in his left knee.
The 25-year-old point guard underwent surgery in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Bulls head coach and Team USA assistant coach Tom Thibodeau revealed that Rose is making progress in his recovery, saying that Rose has been running and participating in all drills in practice.
"Just continue doing what he's doing," Thibodeau said. "He's feeling great, which is the encouraging thing. He's bouncing all over the place. The rehab's gone very well."
And if Rose becomes fully healthy in time for USA Basketball training camp in July, Bulls fans will have a chance to witness their superstar in action as Team USA is scheduled to play in exhibition match at the United Center.
"It's great," Thibodeau said. "For USA Basketball, Chicago's such a great basketball city, I just think it's a natural [fit]. Hopefully Derrick will be participating, so I think it's great for everybody. Great for the city, great for our fans, great for USA Basketball."
Rose, who averaged 15.9 points and 4.3 assists in 10 games this season, was Team USA's starting point guard when they won the gold medal in the 2010 World Basketball Championship in Turkey.
