Former MVP Derrick Rose is retiring from the NBA after 16 years.
“Knowing that I gave my all to the game, I feel confident in my decision,” Rose told ESPN. “Basketball was just the beginning for me. Now, it’s important that I give my all to my family — they deserve that.”
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Rose hit the ground running with the Chicago Bulls, winning the Rookie of the Year award for the 2009-2010 season. Just two seasons later, he became the youngest MVP in league history at the age of 22. After losing to LeBron James and the Miami Heat that postseason, expectations were high for the Bulls’ future.
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In Game 1 of Chicago’s 2012 first-round matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Rose tore the ACL in his left knee. He missed the entire next season and most of the 2013-14 campaign. Although he did return as a starter for the Bulls, he never returned to MVP-calliber form. After being traded to the Knicks in 2016, his playing time decreased and he bounced around the league as a reserve before ending his career now with the Memphis Grizzlies.
While Rose was able to give some teams a substantial amount of production off the bench, his career will be remembered for what could have happened if Rose had stayed healthy. He only played 24 games for Memphis, but it seems right for his NBA career to end in the same city that he led to a collegiate national championship game.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
