Like pretty much every season since he’s come into the league, Derrick Rose was the biggest story at Bulls media day. But Monday, the questions were more serious than whether he could return to MVP form.
Rose responded to inquiries about a civil suit filed against him last month by an ex-girlfriend who claims he and friends gang-raped her in 2013. The 2011 NBA MVP proclaimed his innocence Monday.
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"I will be proven innocent," Rose said, via the Chicago Tribune. "It's not true. This whole summer I had tunnel vision. My mindset was just making sure that I was working out every day, and spending as much time as possible with my son (P.J.). And focusing on those two things. Making sure my family is financially stable, as far as seeing all the money that they're passing out in this league. Just telling the truth. Just knowing that my day will be coming up soon, and it's not for me. It's for P.J. and his future, so that's what I'm thinking about right now.'"
Rose initially issued a statement when news of the suit broke last month, but had not commented since then.
Rose, who is set to become a free agent in 2017, was asked where he wants to play in the future and whether the changing NBA financial landscape could affect his decision to remain in Chicago.
“Here, it's here,” Rose said, referring to Chicago. “But when you talk about that much money, the only thing you can do is prepare for it. I'm trying to prepare, not only myself, but my family. And I'm doing this all for my son. Like I said, I'm thinking about his future. Even though we're all right, we're comfortable, when you talk about that X amount of dollars, I think it raises everyone's eyebrows, so there's nothing wrong with being over-prepared.''