Derrick Rose, 16-year NBA veteran, 2009 Rookie of the Year, and 2011 MVP, announced his retirement from professional basketball on Thursday. And NBA players like Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks are paying tribute to him.
D Rose Forever a Legend🫡🌹
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) September 26, 2024
While he may no longer be contributing on the court, Rose leaves a legacy behind that is uniquely his. Let's take a look at some of the best moments from his career.
Drafted first overall in 2008
Born and raised in Chicago, Rose getting drafted first overall by his hometown Chicago Bulls in 2008 was straight out of a storybook.
“With the 1st pick in the 2008 NBA Draft…”
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) September 26, 2024
Looking back at when it all began for Derrick Rose. 🌹 https://t.co/bDcv4h1MPM pic.twitter.com/URtK9L0dtQ
Wins Rookie of the Year in 2009
The storybook continued during the 2008-09 NBA season. He won Rookie of the Year, and had a dynamite playoff debut.
The second DRose stepped foot in the NBA, you could tell he was a problem 💯
— Kicks (@kicks) September 26, 2024
He was named 2008-09 Rookie of the Year after averaging 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. pic.twitter.com/YGQh1EjedM
14 Years Ago Today 🌹
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 18, 2023
20-year-old Derrick Rose's impressive Playoff debut: 36 PTS (12/19 FG, 12/12 FT) & 11 AST
Ben Gordon on Rose: "He's poised beyond his years. He already carries himself like a veteran out there." pic.twitter.com/KYT1kQC7tD
Becomes youngest player in NBA history to win MVP in 2011
Just two years after winning Rookie of the Year, Rose — just 22 at the time — had a monster season.
Two minutes of Derrick Rose just carving up the defense and finishing below the rim during his 2010-2011 MVP season.
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) April 18, 2020
This is poetry. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/2ns8Ud7VuK
.@drose was a force to be reckoned with in his '10-11 MVP season! 🌹
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 17, 2018
At 22 years old, he's the youngest player to have ever won the award. #MVPMondays pic.twitter.com/fhZioRAu1R
His exceptional season won him the MVP in 2011, and he remains the youngest player to ever win the award.
My lasting memory of Derrick Rose won’t be the incredible highlights of his career, but his incredibly humbling MVP speech where he gave loving tribute to his mother’s effort to raise him into the athlete he became.
— FAKE (@FakePearBear) September 26, 2024
Impossible to watch without crying. #ThankYouDRose 🌹 pic.twitter.com/pP5z3gGTcA
Sinks buzzer beater against the Cavs in 2015 playoffs
The Bulls were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 playoffs, but not before Rose stole a win for the Bulls with a Game 3 buzzer beater.
In honor of @drose's birthday, we look back at his buzzer-beater against the Cavs in 2015. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/6wxP0W6YQb
— ESPN (@espn) October 4, 2018
Scores a career-high 50 points against the Jazz in 2018
Rose, who by 2017 had endured four knee surgeries over the course of his career, came alive on October 31, 2018 against the Utah Jazz. He dropped a career-high 50 points that night, which turned out to be incredibly emotional for him.
In honor of Derrick Rose retiring
— Synthetic Sports (@SyntheticSports) September 26, 2024
Here’s him dropping a career high 50 points against the Jazz after years of fighting through injuries pic.twitter.com/5mJFzHQb5A
An emotional Derrick Rose explained what his 50-point game meant to him.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 1, 2018
"Everything, man. I worked my ass off..." pic.twitter.com/X3xZ76VvRQ
According to Rose's teammate Jeff Teague, Rose said before the game he was going to score 50 on the Jazz. And as he got closer and closer, the entire Timberwolves team began to break out in tears watching their teammate, who had been through so much, own the court like that.