One of the most talented players ever to wear a Chicago Bulls uniform has announced his retirement from the NBA.
On Thursday morning, reports surfaced that Derrick Rose is walking away from the game after 15 seasons. Rose is nothing short of a legend in Chicago. The Athletic’s Shams Charania broke the news on his X page.
“After 15 NBA seasons, Derrick Rose is retiring from basketball,” Charania said.
Charania also shared a statement from Rose, which the former MVP made through The Athletic.
“The next chapter is about chasing my dreams and sharing my growth,” Rose said, per Charania. “I believe true success comes from becoming who you were created to be, and I want to show the world who I am beyond basketball.”
“Whether good or bad, everyone has a ‘what if’ story in their life. Even if I could, I wouldn’t change anything in mine, because it’s what helped me find real joy.”
Rose was selected by the Bulls with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft out of Memphis. Upon entering the NBA, Rose was immediately one of the most athletic players the league had ever seen, ushering in a new wave of lead guards who play above the rim.
Players like Russell Westbrook (also drafted in 2008) and Ja Morant have since found success with this ultra-athletic style, but Rose was the original prototype. No one attacked the rim more aggressively, and no one seemed to defy physics more dangerously than Rose.
Injuries prevented Rose from a more illustrious career, but the level of play he reached in his early twenties will forever live on in the minds of basketball fans, cementing his status as an all-time talent.
The Bulls franchise should have a serious internal discussion about retiring Rose’s uniform number.
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