As he gears up for the next phase of his career, chasing an NBA championship with LeBron James and the Cavaliers, Derrick Rose’s tenure with the Knicks is completely in the rearview mirror.
Still, the 2011 NBA MVP took the opportunity to reflect on his time in the Big Apple (albeit it, briefly) in a recent interview with The Associated Press. It’s safe to say Rose wasn’t very flattering.
When asked about the drama surrounding the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Charles Oakley, the 28 year old simply said, “On the court was when it was the craziest to me. Some of the strategies and all that, I didn’t understand. It was confusing. It was just a learning experience.”
The nature in which Phil Jackson chose to run basketball operations was puzzling to many. The Knicks’ use of the triangle offense was often mocked, but one could argue that this was one of the least of their worries as an organization. The fact of the matter is, many very successful teams use the triangle in the league today. What’s more, Tom Thibodeau’s former Bulls teams (with Rose himself running the show) utilized it quite a bit.
Thus, it’s not that Rose had difficulty picking up the triangle offense. Instead, it’s clear that the way in which New York tried to teach or communicate with its players fell flat. It likely didn’t help matters that Jackson and the coaching staff butted heads as he tried to overstep and influence things, either.
Jackson never appeared to pick up on the concept that this generation’s core players learn, react, adapt, and absorb communication much differently than the group Jackson spent most time coaching. He himself failed to adapt, and thus, failure ensued.
One would think that the communication process will be much smoother with more unity between the front office and coaching staff and a clearer vision for potential success going forward in New York. Rose won’t be around to reap the benefits, but the grass looks much greener in Cleveland for him to best show off his talents once again.
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