Derrick Rose talks about how SAT ruling hurt his reputation
Whether he is innocent or guilty of having a faulty SAT score, Bulls guard Derrick Rose understands that his reputation was tarnished when the NCAA forced Memphis to forfeit all of its wins during the 2007-08 season
He does think it's something he can overcome.
"You can tell in the character whether they'd do something like that," Rose said following Saturday's opening practice of Bulls training camp. "That's not even in my background or my family's background. The main thing my mother and my grandmother want me to get is my education. I'm not worried about that. I'm just worried about the season."
The NCAA retroactively canceled Rose's SAT score, making him ineligible for his freshman season, when Rose led the Tigers to the NCAA title game. Memphis has appealed the ruling.
The NCAA infractions report, which is posted on the Memphis Commercial-Appeal Web site, does not list any direct proof that Rose had someone else take the SAT exam for him. Rose is not mentioned by name, but the report states the athlete in question attended high school in Chicago.
According to the report, Rose took the ACT exam three times in the Chicago area and did not meet a qualifying score. He then took the SAT exam in Detroit and passed.
The NCAA said it sent two letters of inquiry to Rose on March 17 and April 10 of his freshman year, requesting "information from him that would help validate his SAT score." Rose did not respond to either letter and his score was canceled on May 5, 2008.
Before putting this issue aside, it's worth asking Rose about taking the test in Detroit and not responding to the NCAA's letter of inquiries. Rose said he was staying with his aunt in Detroit when he took the exam and didn't answer the letters because the first one arrived during the NCAA Tournament.
"It was never up to me, it was up to (former Memphis) coach (John) Calipari," Rose said. "He told me to worry about the season. That was the only thing I was worrying about at that time. Right now, I'm just worried about this season and want to put that behind me."
The NCAA allegations have nothing to do with Rose's NBA career, but the situation does shed light on the plight of basketball stars who spend just one year in college.
As he finished his senior year in high school, someone like Rose was staring at a countdown clock to becoming a millionaire. In the meantime, he lived in a rough part of the city and certainly knows the story of Ben Wilson, a Simeon star ranked as the top player in the nation, who was shot and killed by a random thug in 1984 early in his senior year of high school.
If a star athlete is not eligible to play as a college freshman, the alternatives are sitting out for a year like Dwyane Wade did at Marquette or play in Europe, a trail blazed by Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings last year.
If a college freshman plans to turn pro, does he even need to attend classes during the spring semester? Those athletes usually drop out of school when their season ends to focus on the NBA draft.
Rose's will move on from the college controversy, but the NBA and NCAA have some issues that may still need sorting out.