Derrick Rose Is Lying About His Health Says ESPN Analyst Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith, the outspoken and controversial host of ESPN’s First Take has fired serious allegations against Derrick Rose saying that the Chicago Bulls superstar is lying about his health and that there is something that the Bulls franchise is not telling the public about the real status of his injuries.
“I don’t think it’s just a psychological thing. I think Derrick Rose is lying. I think people within the Bulls organisation are lying,” Smith said in the sports show that also includes analyst Skip Bayless and host Cari Champion. “I think that there’s something going on, it’s not a tweak, here and there, whatever.”
Smith went on to say that he did not believe it was the right decision for the Chicago franchise to allow Rose to play with Team USA during the summer especially that Rose is in the midst of the long $94.31 million contract he signed in 2012. The United States basketball national team with Rose participated at the 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball in Spain and won the gold medal in the international tournament.
However, Smith bluntly admitted that he had no proof nor inside sources to base his opinion from and that all of his thoughts are pure speculation about Rose's injury. Watch the segment where Smith called out Rose a liar:
(YouTube/Inder Dhaliwal)
The Chicago Bulls currently own a 9-6 record but Rose has only played in seven of those games. Most recently, the Bulls star played in just 10 minutes after aggravating a hamstring injury in a 114-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets last Tuesday. Rose has averaged 15.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Bulls in 2014-2015— respectable numbers but he has yet to play in three straight games in the Bulls schedule.
Meanwhile, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau has said in a recent interview that he is hopeful that Rose will play against the Boston Celtics on Friday and that he doesn’t believe the Bulls point guard need an MRI. Chicago takes on the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets in their next games.