Derrick Rose to Join Bulls Legends with Jersey Retirement on Saturday
A hometown hero will be immortalized in the rafters of the United Center as the Chicago Bulls retire the jersey of former MVP Derrick Rose during a game against the Boston Celtics on Saturday, January 24.
Derrick Rose, a Chicago native, grew up witnessing basketball greatness within the walls of the United Center, idolizing Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as they led the Bulls to six NBA championships. Now, Rose will join those legends as his No. 1 jersey is raised alongside their iconic numbers – Jordan’s No. 23 and Pippen’s No. 33 – a testament to his indelible mark on the franchise and the city.
The path to this honor was far from predetermined. It began with improbable odds on May 20, 2008, when the Bulls entered the NBA Draft lottery with just a 1.7% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick. Defying those long odds, Chicago leaped to the top spot, granting them the opportunity to select the most coveted prospect in the draft: a dynamic, 6-foot-3 guard from the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago’s South Side.
Growing up in a challenging environment, Rose found solace and purpose in basketball, dedicating countless hours to honing his skills at Murray Park. He quickly rose to prominence, leading Simeon Career Academy to back-to-back state titles in 2006 and 2007, catching the eye of college coaches like John Calipari. “Went to the high school and I watched him and I’m like, ‘I gotta have this guy,’” Calipari recalled. “He was so fast. If he ever got the ball stolen from him, it was getting pinned on the other end. He had that floater, even back then… I had to get him out of the gym.”
Rose’s talent continued to flourish at the University of Memphis, where he led the Tigers to the NCAA Final Four. His performance solidified his position as the top prospect heading into the 2008 NBA Draft. When then-NBA Commissioner David Stern announced, “With the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Derrick Rose,” it was a dream realized for the hometown kid. “I’m playing at the highest basketball level, in my hometown, man, that’s amazing,” Rose exclaimed on draft night. LeBron James, who experienced a similar homecoming in 2003, added, “Inner-city kid out of the city of Chicago to being drafted by the Chicago Bulls; you couldn’t even write a script better than that.”
Rose immediately captivated fans with his explosive athleticism, skill, and fearlessness. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2009, averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds, and sparking an eight-win improvement for the Bulls. His playoff debut against the defending champion Boston Celtics on April 18, 2009, was a statement performance, with 36 points and 11 assists leading Chicago to a stunning victory. “I just never in my life saw anyone that explosive,” remarked then-Celtic Brian Scalabrine. “To show up in the Garden and do that, that’s what legends are made of.”
He continued his ascent, becoming an NBA All-Star in 2010 and delivering highlight-reel plays, including a memorable dunk over Goran Dragic in Phoenix. Rose’s confidence soared, famously declaring, “Why can’t I be the MVP of the league? Why can’t I be the best player in the league?” He then backed up those words in the 2010-11 season, leading the Bulls to a 62-20 record and earning the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award at just 22 years old – the youngest player to ever receive the honor. “As a competitor, at that time when he was ruling the East, I had nothing but respect and a humble fear going against D-Rose,” said James.
Rose’s Bulls faced the Miami Heat in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, their deepest playoff run since the Jordan era. However, a devastating ACL tear in Game 1 of the 2012 playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers abruptly halted his momentum and derailed the Bulls’ championship aspirations. This marked the beginning of a challenging period marked by multiple injuries, including a torn meniscus in 2013 and another in 2015.
Despite the setbacks, Rose persevered, demonstrating remarkable resilience and determination. He returned to the court time and again, providing moments of brilliance, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 playoffs. A clip of that iconic shot can be viewed here.
Though his time in Chicago eventually came to an end with a trade to the New York Knicks in 2016, Rose continued his career with several teams, including the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Pistons, and Grizzlies, ultimately retiring in September 2024. A celebration of his career, “Derrick Rose Night,” was held at the United Center on January 4, 2025, where the Bulls announced the forthcoming jersey retirement.
Rose’s No. 1 will now hang alongside the jerseys of Jordan, Pippen, Bob Love, and Jerry Sloan, representing a unique legacy as the only Chicago native to receive this honor. “I’m still in a daze [about being told],” Rose said. “But it’s not about that [honored next to Jordan and Pippen]. It’s about me giving everybody that’s in this room… celebrating everyone.” As Joakim Noah eloquently stated, “Chicago, of all places… the way that Derrick was able to represent that, I think a lot of people gravitated [to] and respected that.”
On Saturday, Derrick Rose will officially take his place among the Bulls’ all-time greats, a fitting tribute to a player who embodied the spirit and passion of the city he called home.
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