drose news/notes, smith blog Options

[DutheDoduhon21]

some interesting notes on BG, memphis aligations, 2010, draft picks and vegas

Rose said he’s spent much of the summer doing promotional work for Adidas and will go to China for a week in August for the shoe company. Rose was at the ESPY awards, where he lost out to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for Best Newcomer and has spent considerable time working out and practicing in Los Angeles.

Rose addressed the summer issues for the first time before the first minicamp tryouts Thursday at Valley High School here.


------ On Ben Gordon: “I haven’t had a chance to talk to Ben. It hurt a little bit. In high school and college you were used to playing with someone for a couple of years. In the NBA, things change. You’re not going to play with the same people every year. I guess it’s just something I’m going to have to get used to.

“We’ll miss a player like Ben,” said Rose. “He’s a great player who likes to win. But we’ve just got to keep it moving. We’ve still got Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons, Lu (Deng). We just have to play harder next year. I was kind of surprised (when Ben signed with Detroit). It’s going to be kind of hard not having him there. But I just have to fight through it and try to get focused for the season.

“It’s going to be a tough season. Teams got better,” said Rose. “You can’t cry about it. You’ve got to go out there and play with what we have. I (still) feel the season is looking good. I think we should start off good. We still have a lot of experience and that should help us for next season.”


------ On the Memphis investigation and gang signs episode: “It’s been (a tough summer). It hurt a little. It was the past. I didn’t do anything wrong in Memphis. With the gang sign, I was just joking around with my friends. Of course, you will be mad (the way the innocent gang sign thing was presented). But it’s the media. You’ve just got to learn from it and go forward. I’m just going to focus on next year and my workouts in L.A. I took the (SAT) test. That’s something you’ll have to ask Memphis (the university said it found no wrongdoing in its investigation). They’re going through it. It’s been hurtful. (I learned) the media is going to do whatever. This whole off season I really was most worried about getting my jump shot better. I can’t (worry about) what they are saying. I’ve been shooting every day. Just trying to get better so I can have a consistent jump shot. I’m staying in the gym for like 700, 800 shots. In Chicago and L.A. Just (working on) coming down shooting like Chauncey Billups to put pressure on the defense so hopefully I’ll be in his shoes some day shooting the shot.”


----- On possible additions to the team in the next year: “It would be great (to have Dwyane Wade). He’s a great player, a great leader for his team. I know if he comes to the Bulls we’ll be even better. I’d love to play with him….(Carlos) Boozer is a great guy. Great post player, pick and roll player, pick and pop. For him to come I’d love it. I haven’t talked (to Boozer) or anyone about it.”


----- On the No. 1 draft picks: “I saw (the rookies at Summer League on NBA-TV). I was working out with James (Johnson) a little bit in Chicago. My best friend and him were at Wyoming together, so I think I’ll be hanging with him a lot. He likes to dribble. That’s something we need on the team, someone else to drive the ball. He definitely can do that. He’s a threat when he’s on the court and I think he’ll be good for the team.”


Rose said in addition to the jump shots, he’s been working hard this summer on how to get those foul calls.

“I’m working on going to the hole, trying to get fouled more, going into people’s bodies, working on that type stuff,” he said.


Despite it’s reputation, this isn’t that exciting a place to be for kids, which Rose is here since he is 20 and no one under 21 can gamble.

“I’m too young to do anything here in Vegas,” Rose said. “If I’m standing by any (gambling) tables they kick me out. I did that (tried to play a slot machine) in high school when we were out here playing AAU and they almost kicked us out of the hotel. You just come out here to play against the great players. I watch movies. That’s the only thing you can do out here. It costs like $14.99 (at the luxury team hotel). It’s a lot, but it’s worth it.”

[Sanitarium]

why is he working out in los angeles? good to know that he wants to be a great shooter.

but i like what he said about johnson. he may turn out to be a pretty good pick.

[eddog2]

I like that he says he's shooting 700 - 800 shots a day. If that is true he's really putting in the work to get better. If he develops into "Mr. Big Shot" like Billups from downtown he'll have all the tools to end his career as one of the top 10 PG's of all time. He's off to a great start statistically (better than Payton, Nash, Stockton, Frazier, Kidd, Archibald) and he was at least a year or more younger as a rookie than most of the top 10 PG's of all time. That's how impressive his stats were.

Chris Paul and D. Rose will be competing for the rest of their career to see who ends up higher on the all-time list.