Derrick Rose shot 25 percent from the field in the World Cup. He made 1-of-19 3-pointers. He led Team USA in turnovers despite ranking seventh in minutes.
The Bulls guard has a generally positive outlook, which is great for someone who has been limited to 10 games the last two seasons. For Rose to overcome his setbacks, optimism helps.
But this resolutely optimistic?
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
DRose: "I know I'm going to win a championship soon. So I'm not worried about that."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) September 29, 2014
Is Rose not worried about jinxes?
The Bulls are a good team. But I don’t rate them in the elite class of championship contenders with the Cavaliers, Thunder, Spurs and Clippers.
That doesn’t mean they can’t win a title this season, and it doesn’t mean they can’t join the top tier in coming years. But they’re just not on that top level yet.
A few years ago, they were. Chicago went an NBA-best 62-20 and reached the Eastern Conference Finals. The next year, the Bulls were even better in the regular season, going 50-16.
Then Rose got hurt, and they’ve won just one playoff series since.
There’s a thin line between confidence and foolishness. I’m not sure where Rose falls, but he’s tight-roping the line right now.