A night to remember as Derrick Rose has his No. 1 Bulls jersey retired
That unprecedented humbleness — from a league MVP who once held the attention of an entire city — was still there.
That was clear right from the start of the festivities Saturday as the Bulls retired Derrick Rose’s No. 1 in a postgame ceremony, raising it to the rafters of the United Center next to the jerseys of Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
“This journey was never about me,” Rose said. “Right from the jump, it was never about me. It was about creating a synergy that somehow people from the city could pull from, and somehow I was that beacon orthat vessel for that from hoopin’. Now being 37 and looking at the totality of it, it was about everybody that found ways to come to my games. Somehow, we had some kind of vibration that connected. It all was meant to be.
“Feeling grateful, knowing the weather conditions out there, knowing it’s a Chicago thing to even show up here, fight through that and go to an event, it’s huge. It’s something I’m grateful for.”
At the same time, this wasn’t the same “kid from Englewood” who at times was quiet when he spoke or had a misstep in messaging when trying to convey something during his playing days.
On his night to be celebrated, there was a laser focus from Rose that hadn’t been seen, maybe even as a player.
“People thought I was quiet or probably thought I was slow or something, but the reason I did retire was to show people that I’m more than you all thought I was,” Rose said. “You thought I was an athlete, you thought I did this and all that on the court, but wait until you see what I was thinking all these years.
“It’s the real McCoy.”
It was a message that was important for Rose to get out. Whether it’s his flower shop, his chess league, his numerous community programs now that he has moved back to Chicago or his other pending businessventures that he didn’t want to announce just yet, Rose was humbled by all the hoopla surrounding his jersey retirement but also excited about life away from basketball, which he stepped away from after the2023-24 season.
“Other than me coming to the games or being at my son’s, my kids’ games, I want to be far away removed from [basketball],” Rose said. “I wanted to be in lanes that no one was in. Coming from Chicago, you tend to enter lanes that people are in, you step on toes and things can happen. I wanted to curate things, so I wouldn’t have to worry about any competition. That’s why I did the flower shop, that’s why I did chess, that’s why we’re doing different things to separate ourselves, and you’ll see.”
On Saturday, Rose’s importance was obvious, whether during his days at Simeon, a year at Memphis or his Bulls career and beyond. That’s why so many former teammates such as Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng turned out, and that’s why former coach Tom Thibodeau was there.
All four spoke to start off the ceremony and all four brought Rose to tears.
Rose then spoke and brought his mother, Brenda, and his brothers to tears, thanking them for all they did for him, before the banner was finally unveiled to a standing ovation.
There was even a video message from Jordan.
“Derrick, congratulations on your retirement of your jersey,” Jordan said. “I’m very happy for you. You had an unbelievable career. You really represent the city of Chicago, the Chicago Bulls, your family and yourself very, very well. Looking forward to coming to the United Center and seeing your jersey hanging up there with my jersey.”
It was rare air that Rose spoke about, but not just concerning basketball.
“I’m taking everything I achieved in basketball and taking it to the business world,” he said. “When you’re done, you’ve got to figure out what your morning is going to be. When you figure out your morning, then your afternoon. Then how are you going to finish your night? You’re going to read or whatever you’re going to do. It was a process within itself.“I’m still trying to take all this in and in real time.”