For eight years, former All-Star guard Derrick Rose established a winning era of basketball for his hometown Chicago Bulls.
His storied tenure in Chicago included three All-Star selections, five playoff berths and Rose becoming the youngest MVP winner in NBA history.
The Chicago-born guard was honored on Saturday when the Bulls retired his iconic No. 1 jersey. Rose is the fifth player in Bulls history to have his jersey retired, joining Bob Love, Jerry Sloan, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
During the jersey retirement ceremony at United Center, former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau made a bold assertion on Rose’s future and legacy.
“Congrats to Derrick [Rose] and his entire family for this well deserved honor,” said Thibodeau, who coached Rose for five seasons in Chicago. “Next stop, in my opinion, is the Hall of Fame. There’s no doubt about that.”
Rose averaged 19.7 points and 6.2 assists in seven seasons with the Bulls. The rim-rocking guard boasts a 60 percent career winning percentage in Chicago.
While the Bulls franchise is best known for its Michael Jordan-inspired glory days in the 1990s, Rose helped, even if temporarily, re-establish a winning culture in Chicago.
“Every time he stepped onto the court, he brought so much hope,” former Rose teammate Joakim Noah said. “Hope is a really powerful emotion. Not just for the city, but every time we stepped onto the court, we thought we could win. And that was because of No. 1, so we’re happy his jersey is going in the rafters.”
Joakim Noah joined @adamamin & @Stacey21King to talk about why D Rose was a special teammate
NBA Legends Salute Derrick Rose on Iconic Career
GettyNBA legends honor Derrick Rose amid jersey retirement
Before the ceremony, several NBA icons used social media to celebrate Rose’s jersey retirement.
“Nothing but respect and a humble fear of going against Rose. His talent, speed, athleticism, his craftiness, and his mind [made him special],” said Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. “It’s no surprise that he was and is still the youngest MVP in history. [Rose] was simply that great.”
“Congratulations on your retirement,” James added. “Salute, my brother.”
Like James, Rose was drafted first overall in the NBA Draft by his hometown team. The former No. 1 picks enjoyed a healthy rivalry throughout their careers.
Rose and the Bulls faced the Miami Heat’s Big 3 in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals matchup. A few years later, the superstars traded back-to-back buzzer beaters during the 2015 NBA Playoffs.
Derrick Rose hits a buzzer beater in the East Semis over the Cavs 🌹
Steph Curry, the league’s only unanimous MVP, also gave Rose kudos amid his jersey retirement.
“Rose is tough. He’s the most athletically dominant player or guard that I have probably ever seen. D Rose, congratulations on getting your jersey retired in Chicago. I know what you meant to that city, what that city means to you. An honor that’s well deserved. Congratulations.”
Is Derrick Rose Bound for the Hall of Fame?
GettyDerrick Rose has an interesting HOF case
Rose, the youngest MVP winner in NBA history, is inarguably a basketball legend.
Whether he will enjoy the fruits of being a Hall of Famer, though, is a different discussion.
While his three All-Star selections, Rookie of the Year and MVP honors certainly help his cause, his noted injury troubles hinder his career stats.
Rose began his career on a Hall of Fame trajectory, scoring 20+ points per game in three of his first four seasons.
Unfortunately, he never topped that total again after tearing his left ACL during the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Rose finished his 15-year career with 12,573 points. While there are a few Hall of Famers with less than 13,000 career points, most of them are bigs that specialized in rebounding and defense (i.e Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman).
During an era where guards are marked by their scoring proficiency, Rose faces an uphill climb to crack the Hall of Fame.
Whether he reaches that status or not, Rose should be proud of his career achievements.
The Chicago-born icon helped elevate the Bulls to a level not reached since Michael Jordan suited up for the storied franchise.
Additionally, after suffering several major injuries, Rose became the model of resiliency for the next generation of stars.
Now, his Bulls legacy will be remembered forever as his iconic No. 1 jersey hangs among the franchise elite at United Center.
‘Next Stop HOF’: Former Bulls Coach Makes Bold Claim on Derrick Rose