Former Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose has officially retired from basketball after 16 years in the NBA, and he’ll go down as the biggest what-ifs in basketball.
When he joined the Chicago Bulls in 2008, Derrick Rose put the Windy City team back to relevancy by leading them to deep playoff runs in the late 2000s. And in 2011, the former Memphis guard became the youngest player in history to win NBA MVP at 21.
However, injuries since then robbed Derrick Rose of opportunities to become one of the greatest point guards ever. After eight years with the Chicago Bulls, he bounced around the league and played for six teams before calling it quits after the Memphis Grizzlies waived him recently.
Derrick Rose averaged 17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 45.6 percent shooting from the field in 723 career games. Those may be good numbers, but given his relatively modest production and lack of championships, he might not make it to the Hall of Fame.
According to Basketball-Reference’s Hall of Fame probability calculator, Rose only has a 10.5 percent chance of making it, putting him on the same page as Donovan Mitchell (12.5 percent), Andre Iguodala (12.7 percent), and Trae Young (9.4 percent), among others.
Derrick Rose receives tributes from his former Chicago Bulls mates
After announcing his retirement, tributes poured in for the three-time NBA All-Star, including from Tom Thibodeau and Joakim Noah. Noah was Rose’s teammate for eight years, while Tom Thibodeau coached them both for the Chicago Bulls from 2010 to 2015.
“I know your next chapter will be greater than your playing career because you are as real and as true as it gets and that’s why you inspire us all. Basketball or no basketball – YOU HAVE A BROTHER FOR LIFE!” Noah wrote in his long dedication post on Instagram.
“It was inspiring to watch him grow and push forward no matter what. He is and always will be a very special person,” Thibodeau said. “I will cherish our many fond memories together and look forward to watching his next chapter. I know it will be great, and I wish him the very best in his retirement.”
