Derrick Rose, the youngest NBA MVP ever, retired from basketball on Thursday after a 16-year career.
In his statement to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Rose shared his excitement about life beyond basketball and offered some deep thoughts on his journey. “The next chapter is about chasing my dreams and sharing my growth,” he said. “I believe true success comes from becoming who you were created to be, and I want to show the world who I am beyond basketball. Whether good or bad, everyone has a ‘What if’ story in their life. Even if I could, I wouldn’t change anything in mine because it’s what helped me find real joy.”
Reflecting on His Journey:
At 35 years old, Rose also posted on social media with clippings from newspapers in the six cities where he playedโChicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphisโthanking fans for their support.
?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loadingContract Release:
Earlier this week, the Grizzlies allowed Rose to leave his contract’s final year after he gave up his entire $3.36 million salary. This led to speculation that he might return to Chicago or New York for one last season. However, Rose hinted at retirement through various social media posts before making it official on Thursday.
Early Career Highlights:
Rose was drafted first overall by the Bulls in 2008 and made an immediate impact by improving the team’s record significantly in his rookie year. He won Rookie of the Year with averages of 16.8 points and 6.3 assists per game. Fans loved him for his thrilling dunks and fearless drives to the basket; many saw him as Michael Jordan’s successor who would bring glory back to Chicago.
By his third season, Rose led the Bulls to a formidable 62-20 record and became the youngest player ever to win MVP.
Injury Struggles:
Unfortunately, Rose’s career took a downturn when he tore his ACL during the 2012 playoffsโa devastating injury that marked the beginning of several injury-plagued years. Despite efforts to reclaim his former glory, injuries continued to hinder him.
Fans often wonder what could have been if not for those injuries.
The Bulls eventually traded him to the Knicks in 2016 after eight seasons with Chicago. From thereon out, Rose became somewhat of a journeyman in the league.
Later Years:
In later stages of his career, Rose embraced being a backup point guard and mentored younger players like Ja Morant and Jalen Brunson.
He finished with impressive stats: 12,573 points and 3,770 assists over 723 regular-season games but only played 77 games over his last three seasonsโincluding just 24 games with Memphis last year.
It’s sad yet inspiring how Derrick adapted despite all setbacks
