By Craig E. Ganek

As Jalen Rose creeps up on his 30th Birthday, the once “Fab Five” floor general has quickly become the veteran role model Jerry Krause had hoped his so-called friend Charles Oakley could’ve been. While the Bulls’ brass and high school phenoms still insist the Oaktree provided leadership behind the scenes, his perceived thuggery to the Chicago faithful could not have made Krause the happiest of campers. (Speaking of campers, are Jerry and Tim Floyd still sharing a sleeping bag?)

Rose’s true feelings about his role as mentor at the Bulls DayCare Center may not be known till he’s long gone, but his league-wide appearances during last year’s playoffs discussing his excitement for Chicago’s future should not go unnoticed. Regardless of whether he meant a single word of it, watching him smile from diamond earring to diamond earring, in the mist of showering love to everybody from Dalibor Bagaric to Benny the Bull, shows he understands what the NBA’s all about...Understanding your Value.

While the majority of upper echelon stars in the NBA still feel their value is on the court, Rose realizes his behavior, more than his play will determine his final paydays in the NBA. Ask Jimmy Jackson how quickly teams forget about your game when you can't handle life with 50 losses. Rose’s next contract will probably be his last multi-year deal, and he understands the reputation he creates as the Bulls’ tutor and spokesman will determine his retirement fortune.

Even though Rose is only a year or two into his prime and has NBA finals experience, thanks to players like Grant Hill & Penny Hardaway, the GMs of today would rather invest in the unproven youngsters when parting with their money (Eddie Robinson knows all about this). With today’s luxury tax, unless your name is Mark Cuban it’s simply risk vs. reward when dealing with veteran stars. Ask Latrell Sprewell what happens when teams stop using the word “potential” when describing one’s worth. When franchises feel a player has reached his prime, no matter what the ability, his stock seems to drop. How many times have we seen a 25-year old show up on the police blotter only to be given a second chance, and when a veteran player complains about an offensive scheme he’s immediately moved to the trading block.

In contrast, Rose seems well aware of these trends and is attempting to follow a more prosperous path…Becoming a Leader. Players like Robert Horry, Terry Porter, Dell Curry, & Horace Grant have made a living as the soft-spoken leaders every team covets when filling up their roster around the phenoms of the future. While Rose is years away from getting his NBA AARP card, the Bulls’ youth will need him to mature into the crafty veteran much faster than he ever could have imagined. The fans may enjoy his on-court contributions, but the reality is the Bulls’ future success may hinge on how much time Rose can handle playing X-Box with the kids.

To Rose's benefit, he was able to get a quick taste of life in Jerry Krause's second rebuilding project last year, and enters the season well-aware of what type of medication may ease the pain. Even with this cautious approach, the Bulls are throwing in a rookie point who will steal a few more shots, youngsters with Windy-City billboards, and two teenagers with much bigger chips on their shoulders. On the positive side, at least Rose doesn’t have to listen to Isiah Thomas anymore. Rose may have to bite his lip more than Jack Haley did as Dennis Rodman’s babysitter, but expect him to be a consummate professional over the next few years setting the table for a trade or final deal to a contender. With Rose signed through 2007, for Jerry’s sake, that contender had better reside in Chicago.

Craig E. Ganek Freelance Scouting & Journalism... rcca@worldnet.att.net