Bulls to retire Derrick Rose's No. 1 jersey next season.
The
Chicago Bulls will retire
Derrick Rose's No. 1 jersey to the rafters next season, the team announced Saturday.
Rose, a Chicago native, played eight seasons with the Bulls, becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history, and is now being honored as part of the fabric of the organization.
Rose was the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft, won Rookie of the Year honors in 2008-09 and then received the MVP award in 2011.
He told ESPN on Thursday that he'd like to see his jersey hanging from the rafters at the United Center someday
"I would love that," Rose told ESPN in a sit-down interview in Chicago. "That's more me if they would do it."
No Bulls player has worn Rose's iconic No. 1 in a game since he was traded to the
New York Knicks in 2016. Chicago issued the number to Michael Carter-Williams and Anthony Morrow, but both switched to a different number after fan backlash.
Rose finished his career with 12,573 points and 3,770 assists in 723 games across 15 seasons. In addition to his time with the Bulls, he also played with the Knicks,
Detroit Pistons,
Minnesota Timberwolves,
Cleveland Cavaliers and
Memphis Grizzlies.
The Bulls have retired four numbers in franchise history: Jerry Sloan's No. 4, Bob Love's No. 10, Michael Jordan's No. 23 and
Scottie Pippen's No. 33. They also have banners hanging that honor former coach Phil Jackson and former general manager Jerry Krause.
The Bulls are hosting Derrick Rose Night during Saturday's game against the Knicks. Both teams will wear shooting shirts honoring Rose in pregame warmups, and the team will unveil the Derrick Rose Atrium Experience, spotlighting unique memorabilia from Rose's career.
Rose said he believes that having his number retired, along with his other accolades, would cement his place in league history.
"That would be my way of getting close to the Top 75, and I'm only saying that because it relates to the MVP," Rose said. "It's only a handful, a small group that got that trophy back there. And to think that way of playing, the Chicago way of playing, is not in that 75, it makes you think about it a little bit or question it a little bit."
