Carmelo Anthony visited the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday afternoon, but Derrick Rose wasn’t a part of the recruiting pitch.
The 25-year-old Bulls star was in the middle of his daily workout routine when Anthony visited the United Center, sources told ESPN on Friday. Rose was surprised to see Anthony and broke up his workout to say a “brief hello,” according to one ESPN source.
But that’s where Rose’s recruitment pitch ended.
It was previously reported that Rose was involved in the process, but that was not the case. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson were part of the prepared presentation the Bulls gave Anthony, according to ESPN, and the front office never officially asked the 2011 NBA MVP to join.
“Derrick wasn’t bothered that he wasn’t a part of it,” an ESPN source said. “He was just kind of shocked, like, ‘Man, I didn’t get the memo.’ ”
Anthony sat down for dinner Tuesday night with the Bulls brass as part of the trip. Rose did not attend the dinner, either.
The Chicago star would have taken part in the recruitment had members of the Bulls’ front office asked him, according to ESPN sources.
Rose, who missed all but 10 games last season because of injury, no longer has any practice limitations. He has averaged 20.8 points and 6.8 assists per game in his career.
