Rose’s eyes will be on UCLA’s Ball, concerned Calipari

SAN ANTONIO — Derrick Rose is rooting for his college coach, John Calipari, but had his eyes on UCLA’s stud point guard Lonzo Ball and Knicks teammate Justin Holiday’s brother, Aaron, when Kentucky faced UCLA on Friday night in a Sweet 16 classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Rose flew to Los Angeles during the All-Star break and caught UCLA’s 102-70 rout of USC at Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 18. Rose spent all summer at UCLA working out with former Jets coach Sal Alosi, now the Bruins’ football trainer. But Rose never bumped into Ball, who could be a Knick next season if the NBA Draft lottery ping-pong balls bounce fortuitously.

“I love his game,’’ Rose said Thursday night after the Knicks were routed in Portland, Ore., in another meaningless March contest. “He’s very patient. You can tell he knows the game — IQ is very high. I just want to see him around other pros. You can tell he’s a talented kid and he takes the game serious and works on his game.”

Asked if he had talked to Ball, Rose laughed.

“I stay out of the way,’’ Rose said. “I’m playing against him next year, so I stay out of the way.’’

Rose, who admits he tries not to watch a lot of basketball, also offered a positive review of Aaron Holiday, a sophomore combo guard averaging 12.5 points. The 20-year-old, the youngest of the three Holiday brothers, could enter the draft, but is considered more a secondrounder. The Knicks have two second-round picks.

“He’s the heart of that team,’’ Rose said. “He plays a different game than Justin, plays more of a grimy game, really getting into you defensively, great shooter, playmaker.”

Rose said he last heard from Calipari two months ago after the AWOL escapade when Rose disappeared and went to Chicago without informing the Knicks.

“He was checking on me,’’ Rose said. “We talk a lot more in [the] summer and get on the phone and chat it up. I let him have his space during the year and watch it from afar.’’

Rookie forward Mo Ndour was summoned to join the Knicks from the DLeague, with Carmelo Anthony’s minutes on the decline and Lance Thomas nursing a sore hip that forced him to rest in Portland.