The last week has shown what Derrick Rose means to the city of Chicago and what he means to the Bulls.
All of that will culminate Saturday at the United Center with the Bulls celebrating the point guard’s retirement from the NBA on “Derrick Rose Night.”
Close to 30 former players expected in attendance, former coaches, including Tom Thibodeau who will be on the sidelines for the visiting New York Knicks, all the pageantry on display for the kid who grew up in nearby Englewood and went on to become the Association’s youngest ever MVP.
And whatever comes his way, whether it’s the video tribute, a retired number or a stronger bond built between Rose and his former organization, few would dispute him being deserving of it.
“Just being one of the best players to ever come out of Chicago,” current Bulls forward Talen Horton-Tucker said of Rose on Friday. “Chicago has a lot of basketball players and a lot of them are good and come from this area, so being at the level he was at, he kind of cemented himself as being one of the best players to ever come from here.”
Horton-Tucker might be a bit biased in his opinion. After all, he was going through the basketball ranks in Chicago as a child when Rose was capturing the attention of the city. That included going to Simeon High School years after Rose made his imprint there.
“Yeah, as a kid you look up to people like that, being able to come from the same place as you and being able to achieve the same things you want to as an adult,” he continued. “I feel like he’s a big inspiration to a lot of kids growing up here.
“I watched him in high school because I was always around basketball. For me it’s crazy that I’m even in that conversation (as a Simeon grad to make the NBA). Growing up let’s say I kind of knew I was going to Simeon since fifth, sixth grade. Being able to go there and achieve the things I did, I didn’t win state, I have to say that, but I won three cities (City Championships).”
Bulls coach Billy Donovan has his own perspective of what Rose meant to the organization and the city. His came through the eyes of Rose’s former teammate and good friend Joakim Noah.
Noah played for Donovan for three seasons at Florida, winning back-to-back National Championships, and kept in contact with his coach in his days with the Bulls.
That’s why Donovan had nothing but respect for Rose’s game.
“I loved the way Joakim spoke about (Rose) as a teammate, as a guy,” Donovan said. “It was really impressive. Then him having that injury, really still coming back and having an amazing career after that, he played for a long time. He clearly was on a trajectory that was impressive at a young age. He certainly generated a lot of buzz and a lot of excitement, but besides the buzz and excitement, they were winning, and he was a major contributor to that.”
That’s why Donovan felt Rose was deserving of having his No. 1 hanging from the rafters.
“I think so,” Donovan said. “I think he embodied the city in a lot of ways, being from here, but the team played that way. They were tough, they were physical, they were competitive.”
And Rose has a precedent on his side.
Like what Allen Iverson meant to the city of Philadelphia and the 76ers organization, it was a seismic cultural shift felt by all because of his presence. And Iverson wasn’t even from there.
He won an MVP, brought the 76ers to the NBA Finals, but was never able to hold up the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Still, Philadelphia retired Iverson’s No. 3 back in 2014.
