Derrick Rose was unable to contain his emotions upon being told that the Chicago Bulls would retire his jersey. Rose is a recently retired NBA star best known for his time with the Bulls. Many veteran NBA fans admit that the league would look very different if Rose had not gotten injured. Some even claim that he could have been viewed as one of the best guards of this generation.
While it is impossible to know what Rose would have accomplished with the Bulls if he had remained healthy, he was unable to lead them to an NBA championship or win one throughout his career. As a result, one can imagine the emotions he felt when he was informed of his former team’s decision.
Derrick Rose Wept With Joy After Hearing About Bulls’ Jersey Retirement
Although each player in the league has gone through their own set of challenges, Rose has been through a great ordeal. Rose tore the ACL in his left knee during a playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers following the 2011-2012 season. He had to miss the entire 2012-2013 season, which was devastating given that he had won the MVP award just a year prior to tearing his ACL.
After Rose returned to his team on October 5, 2013, he slowly found his rhythm. However, bad luck struck again, as the Bulls star tore his right knee meniscus in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Rose sustained multiple knee injuries and underwent a large number of successful and unsuccessful surgeries. At the end of it all, all that remained appeared to be a shell of the 2011 NBA MVP.
The Bulls organization did not forget all Rose did for them during his time with the team. Team President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf broke this good news to Rose: “So on January 24, 2026, when we retire your number in the rafters, it’s going to be more about you than the fans.”
View this post on Instagram
Reinsdorf also joked that the only way another player on the Bulls could wear #1 is if PJ (Derrick Rose Jr.) ends up playing for the Bulls one day. Upon hearing this, Rose needed a moment to process his own emotions and appeared to be getting teary-eyed.
The Bulls’ CEO expressed the love and appreciation that the entire fanbase felt towards Rose for everything that he had done for the Bulls. Rose thanked him for his kind words before embracing Reinsdorf and then celebrating his accomplishment.
Fans who noticed footage of this interaction agreed that Rose is one of the players who truly “deserved” a championship ring, but was unfortunately unable to win one throughout the course of their career. In any case, Rose’s name will be immortalized on the Bulls’ rafters for his contributions towards the organization.
