After 16 years, former MVP Derrick Rose leaves the NBA: “My rock when the rest seemed to fall apart”
The NBA’s MVP for the 2010–11 season, Derrick Rose, made the announcement early on Thursday morning. Rose, who was selected first overall in the 2008 NBA Draft out of the University of Memphis, participated in 15 seasons throughout his 16-year NBA career (he missed the 2012–13 season because of an injury). He was a player for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Memphis Grizzlies over those fifteen seasons.
“I’m grateful, my first love…You were my pillar of support when everything else looked unclear, believing in me through the highs and lows. You taught me the true meaning of love. You made the court into my haven, a place where I felt free to be myself. We spent many early mornings and late nights together, and you made every drop of sweat worthwhile. In an Instagram love letter to basketball, he said, “You reminded me that I could always rely on you, that in every moment of doubt, you would show me what I’m capable of.”
“You opened my eyes to sights and customs that a Chicago boy could never have seen. You showed me that every setback served as a lesson and every victory warranted appreciation. You imparted knowledge about life, persistence, discipline, and hard effort in addition to the game. You made sure that I put my all into every play, every shot, and every dribble by teaching me that passion is something to treasure. Unwaveringly, you supported me when it looked like everything was against me as you waited for me to come get you. Our time spent together is a gift from you that I will treasure forever. You reassured me that you’ll always be a part of me, wherever life leads me, and that it’s acceptable to say goodbye.”
Rose, who turns 36 next week, was a high school sensation who was arguably the most anticipated recruit in John Calipari’s program ever when he came at the University of Memphis. He did not let us down. The Tigers advanced to the 2008 National Championship Game before falling to the University of Kansas, having only one loss throughout the 2007–08 regular season. Rose did not win the national championship, but he was talented enough in college to be selected first overall by his hometown Bulls in the following NBA Draft.
In Chicago, he was immediately successful and was named Rookie of the Year in the 2009–10 campaign. After making it to his first All-Star Game the following year, he won his second major professional award in three seasons at the age of 22, making him the youngest MVP in NBA history. In the 2011 Eastern Conference finals, Rose and the Bulls were defeated by LeBron James and the Miami Heat; yet, their early success raised enormous expectations in Chicago. The Bulls appeared to have discovered a successor apparent to Michael Jordan for the first time in more than ten years.
Part of the reason Rose never reached those heights was subsequent injuries. Rose tore his ACL in his left knee in Game 1 of the Chicago Bulls’ 2012 first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was sidelined for the whole 2012–13 campaign and never got back to his All-Star level. In the 2013–14 season, he appeared in just 10 games. Although he was able to play more frequently in the next season, Jimmy Butler had taken his place as the team’s star player. The New York Knicks received him in a trade during the summer of 2016. His final campaign as a full-time starter was 2016–17.
In 2016, Rose’s ex-girlfriend filed a lawsuit accusing him and two of his pals of rape, putting him on trial. An eight-member jury declared Rose and his companions not guilty in the case, clearing them of all charges.
