Derrick Rose: 'Just being myself'

TORONTO -- After acknowledging on Tuesday that he was thinking about life after basketball as it pertained to his playing schedule this season, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose says he does not understand why so many people got upset by his comments.

"No," he said before Thursday's shootaround. "No, but I could [not] care less."

After coming into this season having played just 10 games in two years, Rose spoke openly Tuesday about how he wanted to keep his long-term health intact. He didn't shy away from those comments on Thursday.

"Really, I was just being myself," he said. "As long as I'm being myself, that's the only person I can be, and that's about it. But as far as saying anything, blame me for thinking about the future, I'll probably think different, but that's all I was doing."

Rose conceded that it did bother him that so many people questioned whether he was fully committed to the team.

"Yeah, to a certain degree," he said. "Of course it's going to happen, but at the same time, I can't do anything about it. I just got to let God handle that and just put every performance and every article behind me every day."

Rose also acknowledged that his two knee injuries have changed his perspective. He has also missed four games already this season because of two sprained ankles but is expected to play Thursday night against the Toronto Raptors.

"Yeah, just letting me know what's real," Rose said. "As long as I'm being myself and inspiring people the way that I am and touching people the way that I am, that's all I can do, caring about myself and just being positive."

Although Rose may not agree with how his comments were taken by some fans, he understands that everything he does will be put under a microscope as both a former MVP of the league and a player who is trying to climb his way back to an elite level after so many injuries.

"It comes with the territory," he said. "I know that I've been [in the spotlight] ever since I came into the NBA. As far as everything that comes along with my story, missing two years, of course this is going to happen, so I'm not worried about it as long as I'm being myself."