Bulls rookie of the year Rose offers advice for Jennings

"Pop-A-Shot" Paul Imig Posted: Oct. 12, 2009

Green Bay -- Chicago Bulls second-year point guard Derrick Rose more than lived up to the hype and expectations that surrounded him when he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2008, winning the rookie of the year award and leading his team to the playoffs.

Rose, who missed Saturday’s preseason game in Green Bay against the Milwaukee Bucks with a sore right ankle, talked about the advice he has for Bucks rookie point guard and first-round draft pick Brandon Jennings.

“Just take your time,” Rose said. “There’s a lot of stuff going on, but just take your time and listen to your vets (veteran players). Watch the game and don’t be scared to make mistakes.”

Rose averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 assists during the regular season, and put up even stronger numbers in Chicago’s competitive seven-game playoff series against the then-defending champion Boston Celtics.

“Patience,” Rose said about the key to his success. “When I was on the floor, I tried not to worry about too many things and just take my time. I was looking up to my vets and they’ve been respecting me and I respected them.”

Prior to tonight’s game, Rose had yet to see Jennings play, but was watching game film of the Bucks from Wednesday night’s game in Detroit.

“I’m looking at him now and he’s looking good,” Rose said. “I think the year overseas helped him. I wish nothing but the best for him.”

Joakim Noah, Chicago’s first-round pick in 2007 when Scott Skiles was coaching the Bulls, believes his former coach will really help Jennings.

“It’s a difficult situation (being a rookie point guard),” Noah said. “But Skiles is a great coach, and being a point guard coach I think (Jennings) is going to learn a lot.”

While playing for Lottomatica Roma last year, Jennings kept a close eye on what Rose was doing to help Chicago go from a lottery team to a playoff team.

“I was watching all his games when I was in Europe,” Jennings said. “I try to take some things from his game; the way he led his team, what he did on the court, and his team won.”

advertisement

Bulls rookie of the year Rose offers advice for Jennings