Derrick Rose emotional about jersey retirement announcement
Derrick Rose became emotional after the Chicago Bulls announced that they plan to retire his No. 1 jersey next season.
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Rose emotional on his jersey retirement announcement
The Bulls franchise announced on January 5, 2025, that they will retire Rose’s jersey.
The news came hours before the Bulls’ game at the United Center against New York Knicks.
Both teams wore shirts honoring Rose during pregame warmups with the date “1.4.25” — all three numbers Rose wore during his career.
The team hosted a tribute ceremony for Rose during halftime, and the former NBA star became emotional.
“Tonight is not about that,” Rose said. He said it was about showing appreciation for “everybody that was a part of the story, the journey, the good, the bad, the ugly.”
Rose’s former teammate Joakim Noah led a sold-out crowd into a chant of “M-V-P, M-V-P.”
“It’s celebrating everyone,” he said. “I understand coming from Chicago that it’s tough love. It’s a lot of tough love. You could forget about the love sometimes and just give toughness. Coming back, me being raised off of that tough love, I just wanted to show the love part. There’s toughness, too, but you don’t have to be tough all the time. It’s understanding and realizing why I’m here.”
“Thank you Chicago for forcing me to be great,” Rose said. “For putting those expectations on me.”
Rose’s legacy
With this milestone, Rose became the fifth player in Bulls history to have his jersey retired, joining Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan.
Chicago selected hometown hero Rose with the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Rose will always be remembered as one of the most athletic and fearless guards in the league.
In 2011, he became the youngest player to win the MVP award.
However, a torn ACL in Rose’s left knee during the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs marked the start of a series of injuries that hindered his burgeoning career.
Rose later played for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies after his prime years with Chicago.
Despite the injuries, Rose said he doesn’t consider “what-ifs” about his career.
“The last time I had those conversations was years and years ago,” he said. “Who knows? But at the same time, with me being obsessed, I wouldn’t have found out who I was as a person. I was obsessed with the game. Not love, I was obsessed. If I would have won one championship, I would have wanted four. And that would have pulled me further and further away from finding self-knowledge, self-revelation, my identity. Everybody’s story is different. For some reason, mine ended being this way. Coming from Chicago, we roll with the punches.”
