Tears filled Derrick Rose’s eyes as he heard the words every Chicago native dreams of: his jersey would hang forever in the United Center rafters. The Chicago Bulls’ announcement that they’ll retire his No. 1 jersey came with an emotional promise that made the moment even more special for the hometown hero.
Who Will Be the Only Player Allowed To Wear Derrick Rose’s Retired Number?
The Bulls will hold a retirement ceremony for Rose’s No. 1 jersey on January 24, 2026, following their game against the Celtics at the United Center. This honor comes more than a year after Rose announced his retirement in September 2024.
The team captured the emotional moment when CEO Michael Reinsdorf delivered the news to Rose in a heartfelt video. Rose’s reaction was immediate and powerful; he walked away as tears began streaming down his face.
Reinsdorf explained that while Rose made his retirement ceremony speech about the fans, they wanted his jersey retirement to focus entirely on him. However, the Bulls had one special condition attached to retiring his iconic number.
Derrick Rose emotional after finding out the Bulls will retire his jersey in 2026, and #1 will only be worn again if his son, PJ Rose, wears it
pic.twitter.com/trpWUxO1nq— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) August 21, 2025
“I’m just telling you: nobody’s wearing that No. 1 jersey again unless PJ is a Bull. Then he’s wearing that No. 1 jersey. All right? Is that fair?” Reinsdorf revealed.
PJ Rose, who is 12 years old, is Rose’s son who could potentially follow in his father’s footsteps.
As Rose became visibly emotional during the conversation, Reinsdorf offered words of appreciation. “Derrick, we love you, we appreciate everything you’ve done for Chicago. You’re a special person,” he said.
The joy was unmistakable as Rose celebrated the news, walking around the room while declaring, “Let’s go! You’re adding one more up there! Thank you all.”
Rose’s jersey will become the fifth number retired by the Bulls organization. The previous honorees belonged to Jerry Sloan (No. 4), Bob Love (No. 10), Michael Jordan (No. 23), and Scottie Pippen (No. 33).
As a Chicago native, Rose’s connection to the city runs deeper than basketball. He spent eight of his 16-year career with the Bulls, capturing the Rookie of the Year award in 2009 and making history as the youngest player ever to win the Most Valuable Player honor in 2011. Though championship glory eluded them, Rose led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011, marking the franchise’s deepest playoff run since Michael Jordan’s departure.
The three-time NBA All-Star’s impact on Chicago basketball cannot be overstated.
How Did Rose’s Emotional Retirement Speech Capture His Bulls Legacy?
Following his retirement announcement, the Bulls honored Rose with a special Rose Night at the United Center. After watching an emotional tribute video, Rose stepped forward to deliver a speech that perfectly captured his relationship with Chicago and its demanding basketball culture.
“Being great means sometimes you’re going to be disliked. You have to show courage that [even though] people dislike you or whatever it is, that I’m confident in my choice. I’m confident that I will make it. I want to be great. You want to be great,” Rose said.
“You’re not only the MVP. You’re The People’s Champ”
–– Derrick Rose tears up during Joakim Noah’s tribute pic.twitter.com/M4dq0Lw8dO
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 5, 2025
Rose continued with words that showed his deep understanding of what Chicago expected from him throughout his career. “So thank you Chicago for forcing me to be great, putting those expectations on me, not understanding that I was trying to be great the entire time too, and I just didn’t know the environment that I was in that was forcing me to,” he explained.
The emotional response from Bulls fans reflected their appreciation for a player who embodied their city’s basketball spirit. Rose’s journey took him to several other teams after his time in Chicago, including the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies, but his heart always remained connected to his hometown.
