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ESPN Staff Writer- Calvin Watkins covers the Houston Rockets and the NBA for ESPN.com. He joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers as well as colleges, boxing and high school sports.
HOUSTON -- Derrick Rose will play Tuesday in the New York Knicks' preseason opener at Houston and plans to travel to Los Angeles on Wednesday to attend a trial in the $21.5 million civil sex assault lawsuit against the point guard.
Jury selection for the trial began Tuesday, and Rose is expected to testify.
Barring a settlement, it's likely that Rose will miss preseason practices and games while attending the trial.
Rose said Tuesday that he doesn't wish to come to a settlement in the case, in which a woman alleges that Rose and his two friends raped her. Rose has repeatedly said he is innocent of the claims.
"I felt like I didn't do anything wrong," Rose said. "And if I go up there and tell my side of the story, I think I'll be alright."
Knicks president Phil Jackson has said that the club doesn't believe the case will impact Rose's season.
It's worth noting that Rose is still getting acclimated to the Knicks' offense, so missing time in the preseason will certainly impede his ability to learn the offense.
Rose has said repeatedly that the pending trial hasn't distracted him from basketball.
"This is out of my control," Rose said Tuesday. "Like I said from the beginning, I can only focus on what I have ahead of me, I'm here so it's the game."
