May 8 (Bloomberg) -- The longer the Chicago Bulls stay
alive in the NBA playoffs, the louder the clamoring will grow
for the return of their injured budding superstar, Derrick Rose.
Before the din becomes overwhelming, critics should remember the
story of an injured budding superstar of another era: Grant
Hill.
The pressure on Rose, who hasn’t played since undergoing
knee surgery last year, is already absurd. His detractors point
out that injuries haven’t stopped teammates such as Joakim Noah,
who has been playing with plantar fasciitis, or Nate Robinson,
who has been battling the flu (complete with his very own vomit
pail on the bench). One fan has sued Rose for emotional
distress, and a Chicago radio station asked listeners to send
letters pressuring Rose to suit up. Even Steve Kerr, a TV
commentator and former Bulls guard, basically called Rose soft,
saying he “owes it to his teammates to return.”
