Sam Amick

USA TODAY Sports

BARCELONA – Mike Krzyzewski is an elite basketball coach, which is a good thing for his career prospects considering what we learned about him following Team USA practice Friday: he wouldn't be much of a sports reporter.

When the team's venerable leader from Duke was asked about the health of Derrick Rose for the umpteenth time in the five-plus weeks they've been together, he made the point that the media's line of questioning about the oft-injured Chicago Bulls point guard could use some expanding.

Rose, who played just 10 games the past two seasons because of ACL and meniscus injuries, has been healthy in the FIBA World Cup experience since missing three days of team activities (including an exhibition game) in mid-August. And if nothing else, the scrutiny should subside because he was able to take part in the five-games-in-six-days stretch that seemed so daunting going in.

Yet when Krzyzewski offered to assist the attending media by suggesting a number of non-health-related questions for Rose, that's when he revealed that he's no Jim Murray.

"I think at some time that everybody should stop asking about him physically, and just say, 'How's your game? What do you think? You think we're going to win? How'd you like that pass?'" Krzyzewski said with a smile during his comedic-but-deliberate bit. "Although it's nice when people say how do you feel, when that's the only thing you say then they say, 'Come on man, let's have a more in-depth conversation. And I think he's ready for that."

The advice kept coming. And to be fair, Krzyzewski's questions were much more intriguing near the end.

"I saw you in a shooting drill, you looked happy; How's your crossover going?" Krzyzewski continued. "You're getting up on your jumpshot. Is Coach K calling enough plays for you? Do you have a rift with Coach K? Why is he limiting your minutes? It's because he's from the south side of Chicago, and not from the north side. Those are all more questions that will stimulate his mind and will help him."

Physical questions aside, the reality is that Rose isn't looking like his old self just yet. He has had moments, to be sure, but the former MVP who is backing up Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving in the starting lineup is averaging 5.4 points, 2.4 assists and 18 minutes per game while shooting a ghastly 25% from the field (8 of 32 overall). His best game was 12 points and three assists in 23 minutes vs. Finland in the first game of group play.

Yet Rose himself is pleased, not only because his health is intact but because there is a process unfolding here that he believes will pay dividends down the road. The next challenge looms on Saturday, as Team USA (No. 1 FIBA ranking) takes on Mexico (No. 24) as the single-elimination Round of 16 begins.

"I'm loving the way that I'm playing," Rose told reporters. "Of course missing shots, that's part of the game. But just conditioning-wise and how I've been playing defense and low turnovers the last couple of games, I'm loving it. I feel like me picking up fullcourt, really getting into people, running the team (helps) me knock this rust off along the way for the regular season.

"I've exceeded my expectations. I'm not sore. My knees are good. I know a lot of people are concerned about that, but I think I'm playing well."

While the Team USA power brokers don't appear overly concerned about Rose either, managing director Jerry Colangelo did concede that Rose could use a breakout game at some point in the not-so-distant future.

"He was much more active in the last game (a 95-71 win vs. Ukraine Thursday) than he has been," Colangelo told USA TODAY Sports. "Part of encouraging him is to try and encourage him. And the thought is that if he were to have a game where he had some real success, then that would get him over the hump. Not just for us, but for him in terms of the upcoming season."

As Team USA assistant and legendary Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim sees it, those baby steps that are often harder to see will be big later on down the line.

"I think there has been progress every day, but I just don't think it has shown in the stat sheet," Boeheim told USA TODAY Sports. "But there's definitely more life, more energy, more playing like he can play. (People) don't realize that he's getting so much of the stuff (working his way back from injury) out of the way that he'd have to (deal with during the season). And it's different when he's in Chicago, because there he's got to play 35, 40 minutes, and you've got to be really ready.

"Here he just kind of eases through this stuff, and it's going to make a big difference when he gets there (to Chicago). A big difference. You see it here a little bit every day, but when you're playing 15-20 minuutes, you don't see it like you're going to see it in a 35, 40 minute game. He'll be able to do that. He shows that already."

The man who will matter most to Rose when October rolls around, Bulls coach and Team USA assistant Tom Thibodeau, is still preaching patience and giving positive reviews that belie the underwhelming stat sheet as well.

"His body felt good, mentally he's strong," Thibodeau said. "I thought his defense was terrific (on Thursday). He's not making shots right now, but each day he's getting more comfortable and doing a good job running the team. I just want him to continue to concentrate on his improvement, but physically he feels great."

The shooting struggles, Thibodeau said, are a product of the rust that remains.

"Well he hasn't played in a long time," he said. "I think that was to be expected. I think the more he plays, the more his timing will come around. Right now he has missed some layups that are usually automatic. That will come."