--As the Bulls begin play this season, most eyes will be on rookie point guard Derrick Rose, the No. 1 pick of the draft. The lifelong Chicago native felt as though he was living a dream after his first practice on Sept. 30. "This is great," he said. "I woke up early around 7 o'clock. Practice was at 9:30, but I really couldn't believe it that I'm finally in the NBA. So I got up early thinking that I was a professional, getting here early, warming up and all that stuff. It made me feel good."
The Bulls have talked about bringing Rose along slowly, but he is clearly their centerpiece for the future. Asked if he expects to start right away, Rose responded with a team-oriented answer. "If we're winning with me on the bench, winning with me in the lineup, I'll take either," he said. "As long as we win and make it to the playoffs and this city is going crazy, it really doesn't matter who's starting. As long as we're winning, I'll be happy." --The Bulls have essentially just one new player this season, point guard Derrick Rose. But it's all new to first-year coach Vinny Del Negro, who has never coached before. Since ending a 12-year playing career, Del Negro has been a broadcaster for San Antonio and a scout in Phoenix. He did manage to bring an experienced staff to the Bulls, which includes former head coaches Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff. "Preparing for the job has been a big part of my summer," Del Negro said. "Things are easy to talk about. But in this situation, things are hard to get accomplished and I'm not a very patient person. I like things done the right way."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Every year I come out and try to improve and be better than the year before. Regardless of my contract situation, that would have been my goal anyway, to have a better season than I did last year. It really doesn't change my focus at all." -- Guard Ben Gordon, after agreeing to take the one-year qualifying offer from the Bulls, which will make him an unrestricted free agent in 2009.
