Derrick Rose retired from the NBA on February 26th, 2024, ending his beautiful but tragic career. Rose was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and was naturally a fan of the Chicago Bulls. He witnessed players like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman make a dynasty for the team.
In high school, Rose played for Simeon Career Academy. He did exceptionally well and received a scholarship to the University of Memphis. At Memphis, Rose carried the school’s basketball team to the NCAA championship. They lost to Kansas but it didn’t matter. Rose had done what he did as a freshman and immediately became the number one pick for the NBA draft, prompting Rose to declare for the draft his first year in college.
The Chicago Bulls had the number one draft pick at the time Rose declared. At 19 years old, Rose was drafted by his hometown team. In his first NBA season (08/09), Rose averaged 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, performing well for a rookie. The Bull’s prior season record was 33-49. With Rose, it was 41-41. Rose was making a difference in Chicago.
Rose put up better numbers the next season, turning into the star the Bulls had hoped for. The best season of Rose’s career was his 10/11 season, averaging 4.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 25 points per game. That season, Rose won the Most Valuable Player ”MVP” award at just twenty-two years old, becoming the youngest NBA player ever to win it. The Bulls finished the season 62-20, placing 1st in the central division and making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. They were stopped short by the Miami Heat, a team consisting of Lebron James, Dwane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Despite losing, the Bulls were optimistic for what was to come.
The 11/12 season ended with the Bulls 50-16 and again placing first in the central division. Rose, however, was beginning to decline, putting up slightly worse numbers than his prior MVP season. He still made big contributions to the team, but a sudden event changed his career. On April 28th, 2012, and the first game in the first round of the Eastern conference, Rose went for a layup. He didn’t land properly and ended up on the floor, holding his knee and shrieking in pain. Rose tore his left ACL.
Rose couldn’t play the 12/13 season while recovering from his injury. Despite not having him, the Bulls still had a solid season. They made it to the eastern semi-finals but again lost to Miami. Rose returned in the 13/14 season but only played ten games for the Bulls. His injury was improving but his performance was not. The 14/15 and 15/16 seasons passed by like leaves in the wind.
On June 22, 2016, Rose was traded to the New York Knicks after eight years with the Bulls.
Rose was devastated but made the most of the situation and had a good season with the team. Averaging 18 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, the MVP was making a return. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. The Knicks traded him and Rose ended up being passed around by multiple teams for many years. Some of those teams included the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timber Wolves, and Detroit Pistons. After being sent to the Memphis Grizzlies, Rose called it quits.
Retiring was hard but Rose knew his career was ending and he wanted to focus on his family. Not long after leaving, the NBA honored Rose by hosting a “Derrick Rose Night” on January 4th, 2025, a date representing every important number of his career. The month represented his number in Chicago. The day stood for his time in New York. The year “25” was his number in high school. That night, the Bulls promised to permanently retire Rose’s number one jersey unless they were to draft his son, PJ, in the future.
Rose grew up watching players on the Chicago Bulls turn into legends. By following their steps and sacrificing a few petals, Rose blossomed into a legend of his own. His dedication and love for basketball will be remembered and his legacy will only continue to grow.
