Rose will join Jerry Sloan (No. 4), Bob Love (No. 10), Michael Jordan (No. 23) and Scottie Pippen (No. 33). President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf shared the news with Rose during a private conversation in Chicago on Saturday morning.
“Derrick is both a hometown hero and a symbol of an entire era of Bulls basketball,” Jerry Reinsdorf said.
“Retiring the jersey recognizes a player’s impact beyond their achievements on the field. It honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the organization and forged deep, lasting connections with fans.
He recognizes that emotional connection and the great impact the player had on the team and the identity of the organization. We are proud to add Derrick to the elite group of players whose jerseys have been officially retired by the Chicago Bulls.”
Rose arrived in the NBA in 2008 as the first pick in the draft. Already in the second season, he became an All-Star in the Bulls jersey, and in 2010/11. with averages of 25 points, 7.7 assists and four rebounds led Chicago to the best ratio in the league and won the MVP award. This made him the youngest MVP in league history.
However, in the 2012 playoffs, Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament of his knee, and a year and a half later, his meniscus ruptured. Those serious injuries greatly slowed down his career and took away his recognizable explosiveness.
He left the Bulls in 2016, after which he played for the New York Knicks (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. He played 24 games in Memphis last season and averaged eight points in them.
Rose finished his career with 723 regular season games in the NBA with averages of 17.4 points and 5.2 assists. In addition to the MVP award, he was an All-Star three times, once in the top five of the league, and was also named the best rookie of the year. He was twice world champion with the USA national team.
(Vijesti.ba)
