resonate for years to come. >> tonight on "unguarded" with rachel nichols -- the indianapolis colts andrew luck reveals what it's like being the nfl's top young quarterback. >> certain points it is uncomfortable. based on person, my personality. i tend to try to avoid, you know, the spotlight. >> after six-time olympic goal medalist, amy van dyken broke her spine in a crash she was told she would never walk again. she is not listening. >> i am not good at taking no. i was not supposed to win a bronze. let's not tell me i'm not supposed to walk. let's move forward. >> bulls' guard, derek rose, opens up after having his health and heart constantly questioned. >> i could care less what people think about me. it don't affect me at all.

it affect people around me more than me. >> welcome to "unguarded." it's never easy being tabbed the sporting world's next big thing. not only do you have to excel you have to do it lugging around an entire country's expectations. that's what happened to andrew luck when the colts drafted him in 2012. scouts compared him to steve young. only a hall of famer. then he had to replace the just departed peyton manning. only another hall of famer. but luck is no ordinary next kid up. he has got an architecture degree from stanford, the son of former houston oilers quarterback, oliver luck. as you will see here, he is very much his own man. ♪ ♪

you are in your third nfl season. 25 years old. just sort of kind of a grownup. do you feel like you are not this kid andrew luck anymore. that's a good question. i like to think in the football realm. i continue to mature. get better. improve. out of football. still a big kid. i think. i think the beauty of playing a sport for a job allows you to stay happy and fun. >> your job is a part of your identity. but not your only identity. not necessarily what one would expect from a guy, second generation, nfl quarterback, the idea would be, oh, his dad played in the nfl. he grew up, eat, breathing, sleeping the game. all he thinks and does. doesn't seem to be the case for you? >> no. funny you say that. growing up, i don't think me and my siblings thought of my dad as an nfl player. >> your father oliver had a succession of jobs after football. ended up moving to europe. how did that shape the way you see the world?

>> to be exposed to different cultures is good to see there is multiple ways to, to skin a cat. different people do different things in different ways. and i think whether you realize it or not, you tend to be a little more open to different parts of life. >> when you moved back to the states around age 10, pretty normal, teenage years. you decide to to go to stanford. everyone wants to ask about your architecture major. what is about architecture that was so appealing to you? >> i grew up, loving playing with legos, building little things, i loved traveling to stadiums in europe and the old towns and stuff, with my dad. and i like projects. i enjoy projects. >> you have talked about going on one day to design an nfl stadium. has there been anything, as you tour around, in the back of your mind. i want to take that. put that in my stadium one day. want to do that little thing. >> the stadiums embrace the character of where they are, i think are great. really neat going to the new soldier field. juxtaposition of the old. the new.

how heinz field sits right at the three rivers crossing. and, you see the city. >> any stadium you design, the quarterback would have three lockers. >> exactly. >> for some one who likes high tech stuff, you have basically become famous, partly for nfl quarterback, partly for owning the flip phone. >> i don't think i want to be connected 100% of my time, e-mail, internet. social media stuff. >> not wanting to have the whole world into every moment of your life, in social media, an understanding feeling. you talked a little bit after the rookie season, the fish bowl feeling. everybody looking at you. what was that like for you? >> a personal adjustment. it is uncomfortable. based on my personality. i try to avoid the spotlight if i don't have to be in it. you realize when you play quarterback, you know, for better or worse, it's, it is what it is. >> one day you can be in the super bowl.

>> seems like you have gotten a lot of cool things coming your way. thrown a football around with david letterman. >> thanks, dave. >> parks and recreation. >> pleasure to see you, mr. luck. >> we had park and rec in college. >> i stole your wallet. >> you guys are weird. >> thank you. >> you get to say a line. on a tv show. and, i did tell my sisters because they were totally into it. wanted to see it if they actually watched it. then i got a bunch of calls. you didn't tell me. all of that stuff. it was fun. >> when you look forward to the next ten years, your to-do list, how much is football, how much is other stuff? >> i'm struggling looking past tomorrow. >> maybe becoming a grownup finally. >> learning how to be a grownup. that's number one on the list. >> hey, he has got the beard. adulthood can't be that far behind. coming up next, we have the ultimate comeback story. i promise you, you are going to want to hear what happened to

olympic swimmer, amy van dyken, after her doctor told her there was a good chance she was going to die. >> he said you have to say good bye to your husband. he said it matter of fact. rachel, it was the weirdest thing. yes, that's what i need to do. ♪ ♪ ♪

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so far, you're horribleht. oat this, flo.use and a car! yeah, no talent for drawing, flo. house! car! oh, raise the roof! no one? remember when we used to raise the roof, diane? oh, quiet, richard, i'm trying to make sense of flo's terrible drawing. i'll draw the pants off that thing. oh, oh, hats on hamburgers! dancing! drive-in movie theater!

home and auto. lamp! squares. stupid, dumb. lines. [ alarm rings ] no! home and auto bundle from progressive. saves you money. yay, game night, so much fun. welcome back to "unguard." i'm rachel nichols. the world learned a long time ago not to tell amy van dyken she couldn't do something. as a kid she had such severe asthma she struggled from one

side of the pool to the other. two decade later she won six gold medals making her one of the most successful american olympians ever. stow when van dyken was in a horrible accident this summer. those around her knew better to doubt her you. went either after hearing our conversation. >> well, amy, welcome. first of all, how are you feeling these days? >> good. i am actually feeling amazing. i am driving around by myself. so everyone on the road watch out. getting really good at putting my chair in and out of the car. i was so blown away that -- they actually modified it. camero, ss, super sexy. i can still floor that baby. >> that's fantastic. we have been watching the videos that you have been posting online. i want to show everyone just how hard you are working here. this is you, literally crawling on the floor to make forward progress with your legs. can you rate your level of determination in physical therapy as you approach this recovery?

>> i will say training for the games determination was a 10. training for hopefully being able to walk again is 10, plus, plus, plus. this time instead of training for gold medals for the country i am training for my life. to get my life back. there is a little bit extra push in there. >> yeah, amazing to see you move your legs at all there, considering the severity of this accident. riding a tv's with your husband tom. what has he told you about seeing your atv tumble down the embankment and just the condition he found you at the bottom there? >> it was a crazy night. i've don't remember leaving. i don't remember leaving the restaurant. apparently, i was having a problem with the throttle and the emergency brake. he said that he saw me go over this embankment. that was it. found me face down. not breathing. he could see my back was broken. he rolled me over as carefully as he could. he said, he lifted up my neck. i started to convulse. eyes went two different directions. i began gasping for air. that's basically how i came back to life, if you will. >> we can talk about it now because you are very much alive and well.

even before you went into surgery, what did doctors tell you about your chances of surviving that? >> they told me it wasn't very good. the more i heard since the accident, i should not be here. my doctor actually told me, he said, you need to say good-bye to your husband. he said it matter of fact. rachel, the weirdest thing. it was like yes that's what i need to do. very business like. i looked at tom. i said i love you. if i do happen to pass away. i want you to know you can go ahead and date other girls. but rachel, i would like you to know that since i'm still here, i would like to rescind that invitation for him. >> that permission is no longer granted. >> right. right. exactly. >> all right. so you do wake up from surgery thankfully. they initially tell you, hey there is no hope of you ever walking again. but then as you progress through rehab, they start to change. what shifted? >> i am not sure what shifted my neurosurgeon is shocked. he said i literally saw your spine. you should not be doing what you

are doing. there is hope that i will walk. will i do it under my own power. i don't know. will i do it with braces probably. at lest i will be upright and 6 feet tall again. which will be kind of cool. >> impressive as your progress in the gym has been. honestly your attitude through all of this has been just incredible. this is a tweet you sent days after the accident. you said, now i will get really good seats at diamondback games and my other favorite sports teams. bring my own chair. hey, good parking too. >> rachel when i told you the story earlier how tom found me face down, i wasn't here. i'm not supposed to be here. and i am. i am living, breathing. having these experiences. you know what, it does stink that i can't walk. and some days are better than others with how you deal with it. you know what, there is a reason for this. i truly believe that. and i will say, before this accident, i was kind of looking at human kind with a, kind of a squint. you know, i would open doors for gentlemen. they wouldn't say thank you. now i look at it completely the opposite now. people are amazing people. i had a lady who was like 70 years old with a walker offering

to help me with my wheelchair trying to get out of the car. who does that it? it's just amazing. >> you had millions cheering in the olympic pool. i am sure you have more people cheering for you now. good luck with everything. >> thank you, rachel. appreciate it. thanks. >> i am so inspired by amy's approach. she floors me. next time you are having a bad day. go to the website and replay the interview. phenomenal. we have more great stuff after this break. are you frustrated with the way derek rose is managing his injury issues. he explains himself. up next. my game is getting better every day. just trying to get my teammates ready for the long season. you used to sleep like a champ.

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>> i'm rachel nichols. welcome back to up guarded. derrick rose didn't play for the bulls last night. if that sound familiar, it's because after two major injuries in two seasons, the former mvp is being overly cautious. last week derrick explained his more careful approach. saying a lot of people get mad when they see me sit out. a lot of people don't understand it's not because of this year. i am thinking about long term. i am thinking about after i am done with basketball. now that rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. kidding rose is getting paid $18.8 million to be on the court this year. so i wanted to sit down with rose and get a deeper explanation. take a look.

♪ ♪ ♪ let's go >> how sick are you of the question, how derrick, how do you feel? >> i'm fine with it. just people are concerned. i'm used to it by now. almost every interview starts with that. i can't run away with it. i might hear it in the rest of my years in the nba. i just got to be used to it. >> rose is down to our right. holding what appears to be a knee. >> you have been through so much. nobody on the outside knows what to expect. what kind of player you are going to be? what kind of person are you going to be? what do you think? >> i think it made me a strong individual.

it made me look at things totally different. and growing up in the area that i grew up in. the own thing that i did, was just watch people. and i took that on. and my every day life. where i didn't talk that much. i can talk. i didn't want to talk as much. and, just trying to be more vocal now. because it is going to help me in the long run. >> you made comments recently about protecting your long term health. and they just blew up. people got very upset. >> as much as i like rose, that was just flat out stupid. >> do you want to clarify what you were really talking about there? >> i was just worrying about my sef. worrying about my future the i probably just think different. my second year. further on into my career. further on into my life.

i was being my sef. all i can be. so i could care less. >> what is your strategy about protecting your health for the season and long term beyond the basketball. >> just knowing the ball is going to stop one day. i am not giving up. throwing in the towel. that has nothing to do with it. but i could care less about what people say about me. my thing is just getting better every day. just trying to, get my teammates ready for this long season. and, just trying to be the best leader i can be for my teammates. >> when people get upset. oh, he is not stuff enough. or not doing enough for the team. how much does that affect you? >> it don't affect me at all. i think it affect people around me more than me. me, i could just only live my life, be positive. let god handle the rest. >> you mentioned the place you grew up. spent time away. you were injured. trying to help with violence in the home town of chicago. there was a 14-year-old girl killed earlier this year. you showed up at the funeral, unannounced. what were you hoping to do there? >> actually the little girl, group in my neighborhood. so, just trying to show my face, let people know that i anot just -- that i am not an image. a personal that you can't getten touch, can't touch, can't see. i am real stay to myself. i know what is going on and touched by what goes on in city. >> if you can predict your season, health wise, how the bull season is going to be? >> my prediction.

hopefully at the end. holding up that gold ball. it is going to take a lot of work. and everybody being on the same page. >> do you see yourself holding up the ball you are healthy? >> it sound good. i don't want to jinx myself. >> you can see why he doesn't want to predict the future. we will certainly be watching to see what happens there. all right, coming of on "unguarded" a special piece, starring lebron james, kobe bryant, joe montana, john elway, tiger woods, serena williams and a whole lot more. you are going to want to see this. we'll even buy you out of your contract. so you can get the samsung galaxy note 4 for zero down today.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

>> welcome back to unguarded. i'm rachel nicoles.

my favorite part about this job is the role sport has in our society. america is increasingly fractured. political divide is sharper. entertainment we watch is split up over hundred of channels. and dozens of devices. sports is where millions of people. thousands of miles apart, cheer at the same exact moment. when there is a national tragedy. the football field or baseball diamond is often the first public place that we gather. when we started the show. we wanted to bring you a deep e behind scenes look at the sports we love. the unguarded side. tonight will be the last time this show airs in this slot. while sports will still be a part of cnn with specials around events and big interviews. we thought it was a good time to reflect on some of our best moments. take a look. ready. cue. welcome. welcome. welcome. rachel. i'm out here. get my year of the dragon on. what is something you can tell

us that we don't know. your girlfriend. lindsey vonn. funny and dorky. >> team mates used to call me urkel. ♪ this its what you meant >> there is only one -- >> i'm not out there beating on people or committing crimes. i am playing the football. >> this is your time. >> locker room speech is played in practically every arena. >> go out there and take it. >> you know that, right? >> i don't know. i have never seen it. >> where do you think you rank on the list of the great. >> number one. >> i never want to leave this town. because after all. the city never sleeps at night. it's time to begin. >> being able to come in. work hard. train, train, train. for 30-something years is not easy. it's a choice. ♪ when i see your face

>> just to tell family that everything came back negative. definitely makes you feel good. >> i was a bit worried about the feature. if i would be standing or able to play the game at all. >> today has been the best day i have ever had. >> eventually just decided i wasn't going to measure up to that. >> what has it been like for you since you came out? >> incredible. >> i like sports enough to not want to embarrass myself. >> i tend to get a little nervous. i haven't walked out on such a large stage. >> i am banning mr. sterling for life. >> yeah, that's us up in the box above super bowl boulevard. ♪ i believe the world >> are you surprised you never killed anyone in the ring. >> surprised no one killed me either. >> you have a history of domestic violence? why should fans root for you?

there have been accusations. >> hearsay, allegations. >> are you a good driver? >> i wouldn't say they suck. i say they suck when they suck. >> i could take lebron james. totally kidding. he is still fantastic. lost his step. no he hasn't. ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ >> where the end of the game. >> where the end of the game. >> is just the start of the story. good night. ♪ ♪ >> it has been such a great ride. i want to thank the amazing, unguarded staff that brought you all those moments you just watched. they are terrific. and on a personal note i want to mention my family. especially my late father-in-law mike who passed this week. this man was not a sports fan. but without fail every saturday morning he would send me a note of all the things that excited and intrigued him watching our show the night before. i am going to miss that note tomorrow. thank you to all of you watching. please keep watching.

i will still be here on cnn to continue our conversation. here we say, the end of the game just the start of the story. i can't wait to see what story we tell next. good night. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪