Derrick Rose still “can’t believe it” that he’s a Knick again, his top pick, back with Tom Thibodeau and even Knicks senior vice president William Wesley, who was involved in him in Memphis.
And he was delighted to be able to serve as a mentor for Knicks’ top guard, Immanuel Quickley – his bench partner.
In her first remarks to trading reporters, Rose said after the loss in Miami that she believes Quickley’s world.
“It shouldn’t be too hard on him,” Rose said. “It simply came to our notice then. It becomes a double team in the beginner’s year. Not too many beginners get that kind of attention. For him to see this type of early, it will only improve his game. The game will slow down more. And he listens. That’s the biggest thing about him, he listens. With that, you always have room for improvement. It’s a dog. It’s a dog. I can’t explain it. You have to be a player to understand it. We’re in a fight, I know he’s fighting. ”
After the morning shooteround, Quickley revealed that Rose had dinner with him and fellow debutant Obi Toppin.
“He just pointed me out – first of all he gave me his number – he told me everything had to hit him,” Quickley said. “But he sat down with me for a while, Obi and I actually told him that he was here to help us, he was here to help us grow things like that. It’s good to have a chance to talk to him a little last night. ”
Rose thought about her first internship in New York with Jeff Hornacek and Phil Jackson. Hornacek tried to get Rose to shoot more than 3, but he didn’t feel comfortable. Rose said he is a better 3-point shooter now and hit 2 of 3 in his second Knicks debut.
“I was a little stubborn,” Rose said. “They wanted me to like to shoot 3s and everything, but I felt that at the end of the year the teams will judge me as efficient and my rate efficient. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t shoot 3, and if you looked at the team at the time, I had Melo [Carmelo Anthony] and KP [Kristaps Porzingis], so I feel like I didn’t have to shoot 3s. My job was to push the ball and make sure I started. Years later, I feel like I’m adjusting. … They are more of a threat now, where you can no longer go under the screens. I try to push the ball and let the game come to me and stop forcing it. ”
Now is the third stage with Thibodeau.
“There’s a family here,” Rose said. “I am here. I took Thibs here. I have everyone I’ve been successful with here, laying a foundation. ”
Several title contenders bid for Rose, but he confirmed to The Post that the Knicks were his main choice.
“Of course,” Rose said. “Even though I couldn’t say that at the time, I just wanted to feel comfortable. I’ve known these guys since high school, 8th grade, high school. I never really thought about anything other than getting here and understanding that they wanted to help me raise the young people they already have here. ”