Derrick Rose is learning from LeBron James and happy to be in Cleveland

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Moments before the Cavaliers play and eventually lose to the Nets on Wednesday, Derrick Rose is sitting at his locker.

He normally tries to stay away from candy, but today, he’s scarfing down the newest Now and Later: the Shell Shocked Candy Coated Chewy Bites, to be exact.

“These past couple years I haven’t been eating that much candy,” Rose told SB Nation, in between bites. “They messed me up, man. They just started making these types of candy. So I’m gonna get back to it [eating healthy] after this year.”

Rose isn’t playing today, but he sits in a folding chair in front of his locker, his baby twists cascading over his white-and-wine colored jersey. It’s the third he’s worn in less than two years.

The Chicago Bulls drafted the hometown hero in 2008, and the explosive guard blossomed into the youngest MVP in NBA history. Then, year after year, Rose fell prey to devastating knee injuries — first a torn ACL, then a torn meniscus. Rinse and repeat.

A year ago, Rose was traded to New York for a failed experiment with the Knicks — and another knee injury. Off the court, he was accused (and later found not liable) of sexual assault before the season started. Then he missed a game in January to fly back to Chicago without telling the Knicks. On the court, he played in only 64 games with the Knicks, putting up 18 points and 4.4 assists on a modest 47 percent shooting.

The 29-year-old guard then quietly signed with the Cavaliers during the offseason. He is now seeking happiness — and maybe even an NBA title — in this chapter of his life.

“Everybody’s searching for happiness and I think that’s where I’m at right now,” Rose said. “I’m in a great space mentally, physically, and emotionally, and spiritually. So right now I’m just trying to gauge that, learn every day and be mindful of where I’m at right now.”

Rose is finished eating his candy, and tipoff is approaching. In past seasons, this would be the time the media swarm begins. But on the Cavaliers, the attention is always elsewhere.

LeBron James is on the opposite end of the locker room. He has on a tank top and compression shorts and is wearing a durag to keep the waves on lock. The King is blasting his playlist, featuring throwback rap and hip-hop hits from Eminem to G-Unit to The Notorious B.I.G., and everything in between. He doesn’t speak pregame, but media members gather around to watch the goat prepare to graze. Or maybe he’s a bear — you don’t disturb in his natural environment; you just watch in awe with a hint of fear.

“He’s somebody you can learn from every day, takes the game very serious,” Rose says. “He’s professional and, come on man, it’s like a blessing being here.”

It’s not every day someone gets to run with the best player in the world for an entire season. Only 14 guys get that honor. This year Rose is one of them, and he’s soaking up the opportunity as if he’s a rookie again.

It would have been a blessing if his ankle wasn’t sprained, either. Rose isn’t playing today, and the Cavaliers could use him. Without Isaiah Thomas, who’s out extended time with a hip injury, the only Cavaliers point guard outside of LeBron James is Jose Calderon.

Rose is sitting for more than just Wednesday night. But his ankle sprain isn’t a reminder of a slew of devastating knee tears that threw a knuckleball at his promising career years ago.

Instead, they’re a part of a new chapter of Rose’s life: one where he appears to have found pleasure and joy in the game of basketball again. And equally as important, he says, he’s learning again.

“I’m happy. I’m really happy being here man,” he said. “It’s a blessing having the opportunity to learn something in basketball every day, this being my 10th year.”