It’ll be a special night in Chicago as the Bulls celebrate the career of former point guard Derrick Rose. His jersey is slated to join a stacked lineup that includes legends like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bob Love, and Jerry Sloan. In honor of the special occasion, Michael Jordan himself came out with a statement of support that reflects his respect and appreciation for the Chicago icon.
“Derrick, congratulations on the retirement of your jersey,” said Jordan. “I’m very happy for you; you had an unbelievable career. You’ve really represented the city of Chicago, the Chicago Bulls, your family, and yourself very well. So I’m very proud of you and very happy for your special night. I’m looking forward to coming to the United Center and seeing your jersey hanging up there with my jersey.”
Receiving praise from Michael Jordan is arguably one of the biggest validations there is in the NBA. He’s considered the NBA GOAT by many fans, and he has the resume to back it up as a six-time champion, five-time MVP, 10x scoring leader, and 14x All-Star. Known for his tenacious leadership, tough-love approach, and unrelenting competitive spirit, Michael set the standard that many players look up to today.
Of course, Scottie Pippen also had a message for Rose that resonated with many fans.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this moment,” said Pippen. “Derrick, congratulations. You represent what it means to be a Chicago Bull. Thank you for believing in this city, thank you for giving everything you had, and thank you for inspiring the next generation. Once a Bull, always a Bull. Congratulations, my brother, come up there with me.”
It was through that duo that the Bulls experienced the most prosperous era in franchise history, with six championships over eight years. All this time later, the Bulls have yet to replicate that success, but Derrick Rose provided one of their few glimpses of greatness.
As the first overall pick in 2008, the Chicago native embraced the high expectations and managed to win Rookie of the Year with an impressive debut season. Just two seasons later, he became the youngest MVP in league history with averages of 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 44.5% shooting and 33.2% shooting from three.
It was after his MVP campaign that things began to unravel for Rose. He logged just 39 games in 2011-12 due to various injuries, leading up to the first round of the playoffs, when he tore his ACL in a setback that cost him the entirety of the following season. Rose was never the same after that initial injury, but that was really just the start of his durability struggles.
For the rest of his career, the point guard struggled to stay on the court, completing just two seasons with at least 64 games or more. In the end, his stay with the Bulls was short-lived, and his time as a star there was brief. Still, his first four seasons in Chicago will not be easily forgotten, and the Bulls want to keep his legacy alive by immortalizing his jersey. It’s a great gesture from a storied franchise, and one has to wonder how long it will take before another number is lifted to the rafters at United Center.
