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The last calendar year has been a challenging time for professional athletes around the world. Besides isolating themselves from the rest of the world and going long stretches of time without seeing family and friends, they’ve risked their health every day to keep playing the sport they love. Many athletes have contracted COVID-19 since last March, and they’ve all had a different experience with the virus. For Derrick Rose, who missed the last eight New York Knicks games due to COVID-19, the illness knocked him out cold. Rose returned to the team on Monday and explained it was like the flu but “times 10.”

Derrick Rose has impressed since returning to the Knicks

Rose hasn’t been the same player ever since tearing his ACL in 2012. After being named an All-Star for three seasons in a row from 2010-12, Rose hasn’t earned a single All-Star nod since. He’s donned five different jerseys in the last six years, and he made his way back to the Knicks this season for the second time in his NBA career.

In early February, Rose was traded by the Detroit Pistons to the Knicks for Dennis Smith Jr. and a second-round pick, and he’s impressed since returning to New York. Rose has averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 assists per game in 10 games with the Knicks, mostly off the bench. He’s also shooting 45.5% from three with the team, which would be a career-high mark for the point guard in a single season.

Rose was just hitting his stride with the Knicks at the end of February. He scored 14 points or more in four straight games and led the Knicks to three consecutive wins heading into the month of March.

Then, everything came to a halt.

Rose has missed the last eight games due to COVID-19

Ahead of New York’s March 2 matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, Rose was ruled out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Rose was diagnosed with COVID-19 a few days later, and he’s missed the last eight games while quarantining with his family. Rose revealed his children also contracted the coronavirus, and they’ve all been fighting the illness together for the last few weeks.

On Monday, Rose finally rejoined the team after a scary battle with COVID-19.

Derrick Rose opens up about his scary battle with COVID-19

Derrick Rose rejoined the Knicks on Monday after missing the last eight games recovering from COVID-19. In his first press conference since the hiatus, Rose opened up about his struggles with the virus.

“They say everybody is different, but with me, I never felt anything like that before,” Rose told reporters on Monday. “I’ve had the flu. It was nothing like the flu.

“It was that times 10. So like I said, I’m slowly getting back. I’m progressing every day and just trying to get back in the swing of things.”

Rose doesn’t know when he’ll be back on the court for the Knicks, but New York fans sure hope that day comes soon.

“Getting back and playing in rhythm and trying to get myself back to where I was is going to take some time,” Rose said. “But every day I’m getting the most out of all my days so that’s all I can do.”

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.