Derrick Rose is gearing up for his first season with the New York Knicks, but as NBA media days kicked up on Monday the focus on Rose was more on his upcoming rape trial.
Rose does not seem to be too concerned about the upcoming legal battle, because he says he “didn’t do anything wrong.”
“My concern is just playing well this year,” Rose said. “I can’t think about the case. I feel like I’m innocent and I feel like I didn’t do anything wrong, like I said, and I can’t let that distract me with the year that I have ahead of me.”
Well, you night want to think about the case at least a little bit there, Derrick, because a rape allegation is not exactly a little thing like peeing in the mall parking garage.
As reported by the Associated Press, Rose was sued last year by a woman in California. The woman claims Rose and two of his friends raped her back in Augsut 2013 following a night of drinking. She claims to have been incapacitated at the time, while Rose contends the sexual interaction was consensual. A civil trial is set to commence on October 4.
Rose is scheduled to play in his first NBA preseason game with the Knicks that day.
“I’m not worried about it, but if I do have to miss time, it’s a part of it,” Rose said. “Of course I don’t want to be in this position, but it is what it is and I’m going to let my lawyers and my team handle it.”
Few phrases can better undermine a rape trial than uttering the phrase “it is what it is.” Maybe Rose has nothing to worry about here. Maybe he really did do nothing wrong. Rose better hope that is the case. Otherwise, he’ll have some things more important to worry about that NBA preseason games.
[AP]
