Knicks’ Derrick Rose reveals COVID-19 battle: Flu ‘times 10’

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Knicks guard Derrick Rose acknowledged for the first time that he and members of his family tested positive earlier this month for COVID-19, calling it like the flu “times 10” and saying it

Knicks guard Derrick Rose acknowledged for the first time that he and members of his family tested positive earlier this month for COVID-19, calling it like the flu “times 10” and saying it wasn’t like any illness he’d ever experienced.

Rose, who hasn’t played since Feb. 28 in Detroit, has been removed from the NBA’s health and safety protocols list, but it remains uncertain when he will be able to resume playing for the Knicks as he rebuilds his strength and conditioning.

“Oh man, I was away because I actually had it. I felt all of the symptoms, sick and everything. But I’m happy to be back and that’s in the past,” Rose said Monday on a Zoom call. “It was completely different. They say everybody is different, but with me, I never felt anything like that before.

“I’ve had the flu. It was nothing like the flu. My sense, the flu, your stomach, or like you’re drained and everything. It was that times 10. So like I said, slowly getting back, I’m progressing every day and just trying to get back in the swing of things.”

The 32-year-old point guard initially sat out the Knicks’ March 2 game in San Antonio after an inconclusive test, but he was cleared to fly back to New York with the team. He claims he tested positive “the next day,” and was placed into quarantine. Other members of his family also tested positive, he said.

“You know, it sucked, but I was with my family: my girl, my kids, her mom, all of us had it,” Rose said. “So we were in the house for the course of 14 days, 10 or 14 days, taking the tests and of course, taking all the meds and everything.

“But I was with my family; that was the best thing about it. Like I said, it’s in the past and thank God I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

Rose indicated that his family members also have recovered from the virus.

“Yeah, it just sucks, where you feel everything, your body is sore, headaches, all that,” Rose said. “The kids weren’t too bad, they had fevers and runny noses, but that was pretty much it, and a bad cough. But it’s real. COVID thing, I know a lot of people overlook it, but it’s very serious. It’s real.”

Rose added that he doesn’t know how he contracted the virus, saying “I don’t want to get into that.”

“I had it and thank God I’m getting over it. That’s in the past,” he said. “Right when I was able to leave the crib after the 10th day I was getting back in the swing of things, but it’s something that you have to take serious. I’m mad I even have to talk about it because how it made me feel.”

The three-time All-Star was acquired from Detroit on Feb. 8 after previously playing for Tom Thibodeau in Chicago and Minnesota. Rose is averaging 12.5 points and 4.9 assists in 24.6 minutes per game in 10 appearances (three starts) for the Knicks.

Derrick Rose’s Knicks return is still up in the air

Asked if Rose might play in games against Washington on Tuesday or Thursday, Thibodeau said the 13-year veteran “has to go through conditioning and once he’s ready to go, we’ll move forward with it.”

“Especially when you get traded and I had a chance to play and the game is just taken away from you for something like that,” Rose said. “Getting back into playing rhythm and trying to get myself back to where I was is going to take some time, but every day I am getting the most out my days so that’s all I can do.

“My appreciation for the game and while I was going through quarantine, I tried to take all the information and try to better myself. I couldn’t exercise. I couldn’t do anything but just be around my family and read. Just leaving the house, it’s something we take for granted. Just breathing. Just everything. I went through a lot in quarantine. I’m just thankful very thankful.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Peter Botte