He’s been around the NBA for 15 years. He’s been the man of the moment on countless occasions. Passing through the high lanes and low, Derrick Rose has now decided to hang his boots. Had he foreshadowed the announcement earlier today? Well, some might say yes. Because what looked like a simple ‘minimalist’ clip captioned ‘The Renascence 9.26.24’ might have actually been the “I have something to y’all” moment. In reality, his fans clouded the comment section with retirement hints. And well, within hours, their worst fears came to reality.

Derrick Rose leaves basketball as one of the most decorated hoopers of this generation. Now the NBA’s Hall of Fame should surely consider etching the former Knicks star’s name. At 35, D-Rose was finding a new home following the Memphis Grizzlies waiving him just a few days ago. No one knew then that the layoff could turn into a full-time retirement plan. But, well, it did, and the Windy City Assassin chose to say his heartfelt goodbye.

Derrick Rose bids basketball an emotional farewell after a decade of glory and setbacks

Sharing his idea on Instagram, Derrick Rose posted a carousel of images. Sitting by his table, flaunting his iconic dreadlocks, D-Rose had a chessboard on the table, and he was holding a newspaper. In the second slide, you will get a close look at what he was reading in the papers. At first, it might look like an advertisement with a maroon background. However, the third slide will clear your doubts.

Well, the color is indeed maroon—a shade of red rose in reality. And there it was—a note of goodbye. Addressing basketball as his “first love,” the former MVP expressed his gratitude towards the sport. Derrick Rose ended his note by saying, “You told me it’s okay to say goodbye, reassuring me that you’ll always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me. Forever yours, Derrick Rose.”

And here it was, the moment D-Rose fans had always feared. However, his glorious stats and career highs will always be something they look up to, even if their favorite star doesn’t grace the arena anymore. Rose’s highly anticipated 2008 debut happened after a brilliant college career with the University of Memphis Tigers.

Under coach John Calipari, Derrick Rose led the team to the most wins in NCAA history (a 38–2 record), their first number 1 ranking in 25 years, and an appearance in the NCAA championship game. Following this and a series of unwanted controversies around Rose’s SAT scores, he finally debuted for the Chicago Bulls. As a rookie, ‘Pooh’ had a brilliant season. He started 80 out of 81 games and averaged 16.8 PPG that season. As time progressed, so did Derrick Rose’s performance.

In the next season that he played for the Chicago Bulls, he managed to average a whopping 20.8 points per game. But the 2010-11 season witnessed the then-22YO at the peak of his performance. Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in 2011. He was 22 years and 7 months old then. The 2010-11 season saw the rise of the next basketball giant. He started in all of the 81 games and played a brilliant 37.8 minutes per game. Besides, Derrick’s 4.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 25 points per game made him the rightful Most Valuable Player of the season.

In his later years, injuries marred his otherwise glorious career, keeping him benched for most of the seasons. Had this scenario not prevailed, we could’ve seen Derrick Rose stand on the same pedestal as LeBron James. This means he could’ve easily become a 4x NBA MVP, just like the King. Nonetheless, whatever happens, happens for a reason. At least that’s how the saying goes. Injuries are a brutal truth in the lives of all athletes. While some rise from the ashes to reclaim their thrones, many succumb to the after effects. It’s hard to predict in which category Derrick Rose might fall, but well, he had one hell of a roller coaster ride throughout his career.

Injuries became the only and greatest hurdles of D-Rose’s NBA career

Derrick Rose’s career is best known for his devastating ACL tear in the 2012-13 season. Against a decisive match against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Chicago Bulls’ forward left the arena with unimaginable pain, which later converted into immediate surgery. This incident sidelined D-Rose for the rest of the season, thus barring him from the MVP race. The ACL injury was like the gateway to his recurring lower body issues that hindered his time at the top of the league.

After returning in the next season, the Windy City Assassin injured his right meniscus in November. This too pushed Derrick Rose out for the remaining season. Repeated injuries disrupted his time with the Bulls and limited his playing time across multiple seasons. These setbacks caused him to bounce between teams, including stints with Cleveland, Minnesota, and Detroit, where he struggled to regain his former MVP form.

Later in his career, injuries continued to plague him, most notably during his second stint with the New York Knicks. After helping the team reach the playoffs in 2021, physical setbacks plagued Rose, leading the Knicks to eventually remove him from their regular rotation. Though he briefly played for the Memphis Grizzlies, injuries once again hampered his ability to contribute consistently. This might have been the main reason why the Grizzlies chose to lay off Derrick ahead of the 2024–25 season. Well, this decision led the way to the retirement choice.

Could Derrick Rose continue for a few more years? Surely he could. But given his records of injuries and setbacks he’s experienced due to them, it’s hard to guess for how long he could go on. Nonetheless, D-Rose has given the basketball world endless memories and moments that will be cherished for a long time. He’s one of those players who’ve etched their names in time’s history.