After 15 years in the NBA, Derrick Rose officially announced his retirement from basketball in September. Though he spent time with numerous teams, most recently the Memphis Grizzlies, there is one team most associate Rose with–the Chicago Bulls.
Rose, a Chicago native, spent the first eight years of his playing career with the Bulls. The team drafted him first overall in 2008, and he played his best basketball with the team. Rose won Rookie of the Year with the Bulls and won the MVP award in 2011, his third season in the league. At 22, he became the youngest player to win the NBA MVP award, a record he still holds. Naturally, following his retirement, the Bulls announced that they will honor Rose during “Derrick Rose Night” on January 4. This game will be against the New York Knicks, who are led by Rose’s former coach, Tom Thibodeau.
However, following the news of this special event led to one question asked by many–will the Bulls retire Rose’s jersey number? While nothing is official yet, Bulls insider K.C. Johnson did provide some insight.
Chicago Bulls Still Discussing Monumental Honor for Derrick Rose
K.C. Johnson Reveals the Bulls Are Discussing Retiring Derrick Rose’s Jersey Number
Johnson, who works for the Chicago Sports Network, said on X that the possibility of the Bulls retiring Rose’s No.1. jersey is “still being discussed.”
Bulls confirm what was speculated since he announced retirement because it’s Tom Thibodeau’s only trip to Chicago
This is celebration of Rose. As for jersey retirement, nobody wears No. 1 anymore so it’s unofficially retired. But as far as official, source: still being discussed https://t.co/7MVFirmOZa
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 11, 2024
It is unknown if it is a matter of when, if, or how the team will retire Rose’s jersey number. Nonetheless, most would agree the former MVP deserves the honor.
During his time in Chicago, Rose was one of the most electrifying guards in the league. He was a fun player to watch at his peak, leading the Bulls to their most successful campaigns in years. Each year he was healthy, Rose led the Bulls to the playoffs. During the 2010-11 season, Rose’s MVP year, the Bulls made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. This was their first appearance since 1998, the year they won their sixth title with Michael Jordan.
If the Bulls retire Rose’s jersey number, he will become the fifth player to receive the honor (sixth if you count Bill Russell, whose No. 6 is retired leaguewide). Rose would join Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Jordan, and Scottie Pippen as the only other Bulls with retired jersey numbers.
The Last Word
For years, many debated whether the Bulls would ever reunite with Rose. Of course, following Rose’s retirement, barring a one-day contract, it will not happen. Regardless of where he ended his career, the average NBA fan will consider Rose a member of the Bulls for life. Rose’s impact on the Bulls, on and off the court, remains significant to this day. If the opportunity is there, retiring his jersey number should be a no-brainer for the Bulls.
