After sixteen seasons in the NBA, Derrick Rose announced his decision to retire on Thursday. The 2011 MVP with the Chicago Bulls is retiring from basketball and leaving behind an indelible mark: at only 22 years old, D-Rose remains today the youngest MVP in history.
Earlier this week, the Grizzlies and Derrick Rose parted ways by mutual agreement, with one year left on the point guard’s contract. A few days shy of his 36th birthday, D-Rose’s future was more than unclear. Now it’s clearer. As revealed by The Athletic, the 1.91m point guard announced his retirement from the world of professional basketball on Thursday, in a love letter on his social networks.
“Thank you my first love,” the former Bulls star wrote. “You believed in me through the highs and lows, when everything else seemed uncertain. You showed me what love truly meant. You made the court my sanctuary, a home where I could express myself freely. You made every morning and night together worth every drop of sweat. You reminded me that I could always count on you, that in every moment of doubt, you would show me what I was capable of. You introduced me to new places and cultures that a kid from Chicago could never have imagined. You taught me that every loss was a lesson and every win was something to be grateful for. You gave me wisdom that was not just about the game but about life, discipline, hard work, perseverance.
You showed me that passion is something to be cherished, making sure I put my heart into every dribble, every shot, every play. You stood by me even when the world seemed against me, unconditionally, waiting for me to come get you. You gave me a gift, our time together, a gift I will cherish for the rest of my days. You told me it was okay to say goodbye, reassuring me that you will always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me.”
A phenomenon undermined by injuries
Pick No. 1 in the 2008 Draft, Derrick Rose arrived in Chicago for his first season on the NBA courts. Starting rookie, equaling Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record, playoffs… D-Rose made a name for himself (and a nickname) in the United States, by also being elected Rookie of the Year. In the following seasons, the point guard confirmed and improved his points average until 2011, where by finishing with an average of 25 points, Derrick Rose stopped the hegemony of LeBron James (MVP 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013) by being named MVP 2011, at only 22 years old, a record of precocity never equaled in the NBA.
After eight years in Chicago and a sore right knee, the American wandered around and had a down period, stringing together stints with the Knicks, Cavaliers and Timberwolves. At 35, after a final adventure last season with the Grizzlies, Derrick Rose has not managed to regain the 20-point average he achieved at the start of his career. Respected for his performances (MVP 2011, Rookie of the Year 2009 and three All-Star selections in 2010, 2011 and 2012), it is also his resilience, put to the test many times, that is now being praised. Last season, the former Knicks player only played 24 games, due in particular to recurring problems (knee, back and groin).
