Derrick Rose, the youngest player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, has officially announced his retirement from professional basketball after 16 seasons in the league. His career, marked by moments of greatness and painful injuries, left a legacy that will be remembered as much for what he achieved as for what could have been.
Rose burst onto the scene in the NBA in 2008 when he was selected as the first pick in the draft by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. He showed his talent from the start, winning the Rookie of the Year award and, just three years later, becoming the youngest MVP in league history at 22 years old.
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Rose was named league MVP in the 2010-11 season with the Chicago Bulls and became the youngest player to win the award, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists per game.
Rose continued his career with several NBA teams, including the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Minnesota Timberwolves, but never again reached the level of excellence he displayed in Chicago.
The Bulls chose him as the number 1 pick in the 2008 draft. That season he was named NBA Rookie of the Year and would later become a three-time All-Star.
He would play for seven seasons in the Chicago franchise, his hometown, before moving on to the New York Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Detroit Pistons, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
With the Grizzlies, where he played last season, Rose agreed to terminate the final year of his contract.
In addition to announcing his retirement on social media, he also did so with advertisements in the written press of the six cities in which he played.
“Knowing that I gave my all in the game, I feel confident in my decision. Basketball was just the beginning for me. Now, it’s important that I give my all to my family, they deserve it,” Rose said in statements to ESPN.
In their MVP season, the Bulls played in the Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to the Miami Heat.
Derrick Rose and an injury that changed his career
Derrick Rose arrived in the NBA at just 20 years of age. In his first season, he averaged 16.8 points, 6.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. The manager won the Rookie of the Year award in his first year with the Bulls.
Just two years later, Rose won the MVP at age 22, one of the youngest players to do so. He played in 81 of 82 games, recording 25 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game for the season. He was the first MVP for a Bulls player since Michael Jordan.
The following year, Rose’s career changed forever. The Bulls’ manager tore his ACL and his career was never the same. He never averaged more than 20 points per game or was in MVP consideration again.
Rose could become the first player to win the MVP and not make it into the NBA Hall of Fame.
In his farewell address, Rose said he was at peace with his decision, thanking the cities where he played for their support. He placed ads in local newspapers to pay tribute to the fans who accompanied him on his journey, a gesture that reflects his gratitude toward the sport and his community.
