Chicago Bulls veteran Richard Hamilton believes Derrick Rose will have to change swashbuckling style – NBA Update
Chicago Bulls veteran Richard Hamilton has suggested that Derrick Rose will have to tone down his all action style of basketball as he gets older. Rip, who has been in the NBA for over a decade and won an NBA World Championship during the times, said Rose
can continue his high flying ways for only so long and soon his body will start to catch-up with him.
"I think he'll start to change when he gets in his 30s, when he feels as though he doesn't want to take as many hits," Hamilton said.
Rose is one of the most exciting players in the game at the moment. The super star point guard won an NBA Most Valuable Player of the year award last season, becoming the youngest recipient of the honour in history.
His swashbuckling ways are a nightmare for opposition defences and a joy to watch for the fans, but they do come at a price. Rose suffered a number of injuries during the condensed NBA season 2011 – 2012 and a devastating knee injury in the playoffs has
now ruled him out for around 8 to 12 months.
Hamilton can relate with the young playmaker. ‘Rip’ explained that when he came into the NBA, with the Washington Wizards, he also had an up-tempo game but was warned by the elder statesmen in his team to cool down.
"When I came in the league (in 1999 with the Washington Wizards) I had Mitch Richmond and Rod Strickland as veterans to me, and they used to always tell me, 'Hey Rip, you can't fall on the floor every time you come down the court. That's going to catch up.'
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He explained that when he was approaching his 30’s, he started to understand what they were talking about and tried to mould his game accordingly, because the body can only take so much punishment.
"By the time I got to 28, 29, I was starting to feel those hits and understand what they were talking about. Like any young kid, as you get older, you know when to take hits and know when not to take hits."
Hamilton has revealed that he does to talk to Rose about this aspect of the game and is hopeful the young star can maintain his explosiveness for years to come but not at the cost of his body.
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