The Chicago Bulls will retire former NBA MVP Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey, the team said Saturday, January 4 (Sunday, January 5, Manila time).
Rose, 36, announced his retirement from the league over social media on September 26.
The retirement ceremony will be held in the 2025-26 season, with the date announced later.
The No. 1 jersey has not been worn by a Bulls player since Rose was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016. Michael Carter-Williams and Anthony Morrow were issued the number but switched after fan backlash.
Rose will be one of just five players in Bulls history to have his number retired, joining Jerry Sloan (No. 4), Bob Love (10), Michael Jordan (23), and Scottie Pippen (33).
Rose was selected by his hometown Chicago Bulls with the top overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft and was named the 2008-09 Rookie of the Year.
At 22, Rose became the youngest player in league history to be named the NBA MVP during the 2010-11 season.
“Derrick is both a hometown hero and a symbol of an entire era of Bulls basketball,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement issued Saturday. “Retiring a jersey recognizes a player’s impact beyond on-court achievements. It honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization and forged deep, lasting connections with fans. It recognizes that emotional bond and the great influence a player has had on the team and organization’s identity. We are proud to add Derrick to the elite group of players — Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen — whose jerseys have been officially retired by the Chicago Bulls.”
Chicago was 245-161 (.603) in games in which Rose played. In his MVP season, Rose led the Bulls to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 1998 — the final season of the Bulls’ second NBA championship three-peat.
Rose’s career took a turn for the worse after he tore an ACL during the first round of the 2012 playoffs. He sat out the following season and was limited to 10 games in 2013-14.
A three-time All-Star, Rose established career averages of 17.4 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 723 career games (518 starts) with the Bulls (2008-16), Knicks (2016-17, 2021-23), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18), Minnesota Timberwolves (2018-19), Detroit Pistons (2019-21), and Memphis Grizzlies (2023-24).
Injuries limited Rose to 24 games (seven starts) in 2023-24, and he averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds. – Rappler.com
