Chicago Bulls legend and former NBA MVP Derrick Rose will be honored on January 24, 2026, when the team officially retires his iconic No. 1 jersey at the United Center. This special ceremony will see Rose’s number join the rafters alongside other Bulls legends such as Michael Jordan (23), Scottie Pippen (33), Bob Love (10), and Jerry Sloan (4), cementing his place among the greatest players in the franchise’s history. Rose’s journey from a Chicago neighborhood to NBA superstardom is a story of talent, resilience, and inspiration, and the retirement of his jersey serves as a fitting tribute to his remarkable career.
Rose was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and quickly became a star for his hometown Bulls. Standing 6-foot-3, he made an immediate impact by winning Rookie of the Year honors in his first season. He followed this with three consecutive All-Star appearances, proving that he was one of the league’s brightest young stars. His career highlight came in the 2010-11 season, when, at just 22 years old, Rose became the youngest player in NBA history to win the MVP award. That season, he averaged 25 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game, leading Chicago to a league-best 62-20 record and their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the Michael Jordan era.
After his tenure with the Bulls, Rose went on to play for multiple NBA teams, including the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies. In the 2023-24 season, he returned to Memphis, the city where he had played college basketball, appearing in 24 games. Reflecting on his return, Rose described the experience as coming “full circle,” enjoying the support of both his family and fans who had followed him since his college days.
Rose’s career, however, was significantly affected by injuries. A major knee injury in 2012 forced him to miss almost two full seasons, years during which he might have reached his prime. In addition, he underwent several other knee surgeries, battled ankle problems, and even took time away from basketball during the 2017-18 season to contemplate his future. Despite these setbacks, Rose consistently demonstrated his elite talent, averaging 17.4 points and 5.2 assists over 723 regular-season games. Before his ACL tear, he averaged 21 points per game, and afterward, he still contributed 15.1 points per game, proving his resilience and determination.
Fans will long remember some of Rose’s unforgettable moments even after his injuries. In 2018, he scored a career-high 50 points for Minnesota in a dramatic win against Utah, an emotional performance that brought him to tears. A year later, in 2019, he registered a 12-assist game for Detroit, his first such performance in nearly eight years. Between 2018 and 2021, Rose was a strong candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year Award, and remarkably, he received a first-place MVP vote in the 2020-21 season, a decade after initially winning the award.
From the start, Rose showed immense promise. As a rookie in 2009, he won the NBA Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend, captured the Rookie of the Year award, and scored 36 points in his playoff debut. Growing up in poverty in a Chicago suburb, he used basketball as a pathway to support his family and achieve his dreams. In 2006, Rose hit the game-winning shot to secure the Illinois state high school championship, and only five years later, he became the youngest MVP in NBA history, leaving an indelible mark on the league and inspiring countless young athletes.
The retirement of Derrick Rose’s jersey will not only celebrate his achievements on the court but also honor his perseverance, leadership, and lasting legacy as one of the most iconic figures in Chicago Bulls history.