The player who electrified Chicago more than any other Bulls player in the post-Jordan era is walking away from basketball.
Derrick Rose is retiring, he told Shams Charania of The Athletic on Thursday, ending a 16-year career that saw him become the youngest MVP in NBA history before injuries derail what some believed to be the potential to have an all-time great career.
Rose spent his final seasons with five different teams, but remained beloved in Chicago for the brief but dynamic streak he put together during the early years of his career.
Here’s a closer look at Rose’s career and her decision to step away.
Why did Derrick Rose retire?
Pink told The Athletic he is retiring because he wants to “show the world who I am beyond basketball.”
While Rose was an exceptional player in his prime, a litany of injuries, starting with a devastating ACL tear in 2012, made retirement a major talking point in the final years of his career. Speculation began as early as 2017, when he stepped away from the Cavaliers to evaluate his NBA future.
Rose decided to continue playing and caught fire with the Timberwolves a season later, but his playing time declined over the past few seasons and he missed much of the 2023-24 season in Memphis due to an injury. Rose was waived by the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
“Whether it’s good or bad, everyone has a ‘what if’ story in their life,” Rose told The Athletic. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t change mine, because that’s what helped me find true joy.”
Despite dealing with injuries after his ACL tear late in his fourth season, Rose stuck around for 16 years and repeatedly proved he could still score at a high level. At its peak, few were better. Rose was the youngest MVP in NBA history averaging 25.0 points and 7.7 assists for the Bulls in 2010-11 at just 22 years old.
Derrick Rose’s teams
Rose spent his NBA career with six different teams:
- Chicago Bulls (2008–16)
- New York Knicks (2016-17, 2021-23)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–18)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (2018–19)
- Detroit Pistons (2019-21)
- Memphis Grizzlies (2023-24)
Where did Derrick Rose go to college?
Rose spent his lone collegiate season in Memphis under coach John Calipari, helping the Tigers to the brink of a national championship.
Rose averaged 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 40 games at Memphis, shooting 47.7% from the field as a freshman. The Tigers won almost everything in the NCAA tournament, but a late comeback by Kansas forced overtime, and Memphis would narrowly fall short.
Rose was taken No. 1 overall by the Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Derrick Rose’s Hall of Fame Chances
Every Hall of Fame eligible player who has won an NBA MVP award has been inducted into the Hall of Fame, but Rose is a fairly unique case.
In terms of stat counting, Rose falls short. Fewer than 13,000 points are usually not enough to reach the Hall of Fame, a career average of 17.4 points and 5.2 assists per game in the Rose era does not tend to be Hall worthy fame without an excellent defensive record or multiple championships. .
Then again, the Basketball Hall of Fame has opened its doors to many questionable players in recent years. Former Spurs guard Manu Ginobili managed by averaging just 13.3 points per game, but he won four NBA titles and an Olympic gold medal for Argentina. Ginobili also played in over 300 more games than Rose.
Rose’s peak was great, but he was only All-Star worthy for three seasons. It’s hard to imagine a former MVP not making the Hall of Fame given how strong one must be to win the award, but Rose’s case will test voters.
Derrick Rose Statistics
Averages
| Games | 723 |
| Points | 17.4 |
| Rebounds | 3.2 |
| Aids | 5.2 |
| Stolen | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 0.3 |
| FG% | 45.6% |
| 3P% | 31.6% |
Totals
| Games | 723 |
| Points | 12,573 |
| Rebounds | 2,324 |
| Aids | 3,770 |
| Stolen | 536 |
| Blocks | 242 |
Reactions to Derrick Rose’s retirement
Rose’s former teammates and opponents still have a lot of love for the former MVP, and many of them weighed in after his retirement on Thursday. One player who was both a teammate and frequent adversary of Rose’s was LeBron James, who said Thursday that the former Bulls guard was “forever immortalized.”
“Lots of love and respect Pooh!!! Hello ? Forever Immortalized ?”
LeBron James Shows Love to Now-Retired Derrick Rose in His IG Story ? pic.twitter.com/bHKrGl4CLS
– Clutch Points (@ClutchPoints) September 26, 2024
Other reactions came after the announcement, including tributes from Trae Young and Dwight Howard.
D Rose forever a legend??
–Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) September 26, 2024
Congratulations on an incredible career Rose ?? people don’t realize that the average NBA player’s career is 4.5 years, so the fact that you played 15 seasons despite what you endured with injuries shows how much you were a fighter! Enjoy your retirement bro if you ever miss the court… pic.twitter.com/l70WQJ7oBf
-Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) September 26, 2024
?❤️ 2 A Legend
? PoohDini Drose ?
-Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) September 26, 2024
1000% ? https://t.co/oP3lKPGVFc
– JJJ (@jarenjacksonjr) September 26, 2024
