CHICAGO — When Derrick Rose sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the first round of last year’s N.B.A. playoffs, Chicago Bulls fans immediately began counting the days until his return. Eleven months later, they are still counting, but are also fully engaged in hand-wringing, anxious uncertainty and perhaps even prayer as the waiting continues and

Rose’s return this season is no longer a question of when, but if.

“It could be tomorrow where I feel I can play next game,” Rose said after a Bulls practice last week. “Nobody knows but God.”

It seems appropriate that only a deity could bring clarity to a situation that has turned so murky. For months after the injury,

Rose’s rehabilitation appeared routine, filled with updates on walking, running and shooting the basketball. Now, though, with the Bulls fighting for playoff position, Rose’s progress has stalled. He has been medically cleared but remains on the bench, creating an air of mystery and confusion around his recovery.

Rose, 24, an All-Star point guard and the league’s most valuable player in 2011, began participating in full-contact practices in January. In February, he was cleared for full-court scrimmages, which were supposed to be among the final steps before a comeback. Instead, there has been only a never-ending Rose watch.