Tears, humility and respect for Derrick Rose
Even at the most solemn moment of his career, Derrick Rose he has lost none of the humility that has always characterized him. Saturday night, after their last second victory against the Celtics, the Bulls retired his iconic No. 1. His jersey joined the jersey Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan etc Scottie Pippen on the ceiling of the United Center
“This trip was never about me”Derrick Rose reacted. “From the beginning it was about creating a synergy that people in the city could identify with. Looking back, I realize it was all about the people coming to my games, this shared vibe. It all made sense.”
He is now 37 years old, the youngest MVP in history is fully aware of the collective reach of his legacy, but we will also remember that he touched all those who surrounded him from 2008 to 2016. It was enough to see Joakim Noah, with a baby in his arms, Kirk Hinrich, Kyle Korver, or even Taj Gibson, Luol Deng and Tom Thibodeau, who defends Rosem Thibodeau. Many of them have passed through, and the challenge was to recognize them. Not far from these legends, we saw Noah Essengue, who stayed on the sidelines to witness this moment in history.
“People thought I was just quiet or limited to what I did on the field. I retired to show that I was much more than that. Wait until you see what I had in mind all these years” Derrick Rose continued. “With the exception of children’s games, I wanted to escape from basketball, to create things without competition. That’s why I made a flower shop, why I did chess…”
From this dedication evening, we will remember the beautiful messages of LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Shay Gilgie-Alexander, but also his own tears when he listened to the speeches of Joakim Noah or Taj Gibson, or those of his mother and his sisters when he thanked them. And then there was this moment when Derrick Rose talked to his sonLondon, which never stopped crying. “Listen, don’t cry, I’m talking to you… You, big one, don’t cry, look at me. I love your heart, I love how independent you are, I love how self-sufficient you are. Who taught you to tie your shoelaces? That’s you. Who taught you to ride a bike? You’re weak and you’re so powerful”
A powerful moment that contradicted Michael Jordan’s message, much more classic. “Derrick, congratulations on your jersey retirement. I’m so happy for you. You’ve had an amazing career. You’ve truly represented the city of Chicago, the Bulls, your family and yourself in an exemplary way. I can’t wait to come to the United Center and see your jersey hanging next to mine.”
2026-01-25 06:33:00
