“Just trying to figure out my route, if I wanted to stay or leave” Derrick Rose had earlier contemplated retirement after the New York Knicks declined his player option in 2023. Fortunately, the Memphis Grizzlies provided him with a much-needed lifeline. With a year remaining in his minimum contract.

However, the player suddenly shocked the NBA world by being waived at his own request. Fans were ready to discuss a return to an old franchise, a team-up between old teammates, anything but the one theory they did not want to hear about. Unfortunately, that theory became a reality a few minutes ago.

Derrick Rose recently took to his Instagram account, officially announcing his retirement from the NBA. The picture he shared had him sitting comfortably at his desk, looking directly at the camera, and holding a newspaper, the front page of which carried the heading “Thank you, my first love.” Through it, he thanked the people who believed in him through the “highs and lows”, who turned the “court into a sanctuary for him”, who taught him that “every loss was a lesson and every win was a reason to be grateful” etc.

The 2011 NBA MVP made the heartfelt decision after spending 16 years in the league. Drafted as the first overall pick by the Chicago Bulls, he achieved significant success during the early stages of his career, securing the MVP title, making the All-NBA First Team, and getting himself named to the All-Star team thrice all within the first four years of his career. On top of that, he also walked away with the Rookie of the Year title, being only the second Bulls player since Michael Jordan to do so.

The latter part of his NBA career was a bit of a struggle, as the player started playing under minimum level contracts from 2017 onwards. His last season with the Memphis Grizzlies saw him starting in only 7 out of 24 games, while averaging 8.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Therefore, though it is not something that people would have wanted to accept, it was inevitable that the end was near.

Derrick Rose’s post showed that if there was ever a time for a die-hard NBA fan to shed a tear, it certainly was now. And many ended up doing the same.

NBA world unites in their grief over Derrick Rose’s retirement announcement

No sooner had Derrick Rose made the announcement when reactions started to come in from all sides. One fan highlighted feeling emotional and not caring about the environment where he was in, as he wrote “just fell to my knees in a trader joe’s.” This showed that for many, the retirement announcement may end up being a classic ‘Where were you when it happened’ story.

Not only fans, but players from the NBA world are also now descending to pay tribute. Amongst the first one to react was recent NBA champion and Gold Medallist Jayson Tatum. Highlighting Derrick Rose’s post on his IG story, he left a ‘GOAT’ emoji at the top to give the player the ultimate tribute that one could get! Tatum’s Team USA teammate, LeBron James, also took to Instagram to write “Much love and respect Pooh!!! Salute.”

The official Instagram account of the Chicago Bulls also paid tribute to the player who have devoted 8 years of his life to them. By leaving a ‘Rose’ emoji in the comments section, they highlighted that nothing more needed to be said, except for acknowledging and thanking for his presence. The Memphis Grizzlies also joined their rival franchise in dropping a rose, along with a ‘blue heart’ emoji in the comments.

One longtime fan was quick to react and send out his love, writing “My favorite player ever … had all of your shoes since the first one released … salute to a legend !”

One way to determine the status that an NBA player holds is by determining whether they have their own shoe line. Derrick Rose was able to do something that was Michael Jordan’s deepest desire before he began his saga with Nike: sign with Adidas right from the first year. It wasn’t until 2010 when the brand released the first shoe of his signature line, dubbed the ‘adiZero Rose 1.’ Feeling that the player held a potential for further growth, Adidas and Rose’s representatives were able to secure a 14-year endorsement deal back in 2012. It would yield a minimum of $190 million to his name, with increments being provided based on how well the shoes would perform. Therefore, even though the payments from his NBA contract took a downfall, the player will continue to be paid handsomely, thanks to Adidas.

Referencing Michael Jordan‘s 1997-98 season, one social media user wrote, “Come back to Bulls pleeeaseee (raised hands emoji) the last dance!! (fire emoji).” Chicago was where Derrick Rose was at the height of his NBA career, and where his value was displayed in all it’s glory. After all, not everybody gets provided a 5-year, $94.3 million contract after their rookie contract comes to a close. Unfortunately for Rose, he didn’t earn any higher than that and, now with his retirement, won’t get to earn higher than that anyways. Knowing the history he shared with the franchise however, the Bulls would have certainly been on his radar if he looked to join another team after the Grizzlies.

While the majority of people remembered him for his tenure with the Bulls, one individual wasn’t going to let another part of his legacy be left unmentioned. He went on to write “Once a Knick, always a Knick. One of my favorite players ever.” Rose played four seasons with the New York Knicks, between 2016–2017 and 2021–2023. During his first season at Madison Square Garden, he averaged 18 points while shooting 47.1% field goals, a feat that hadn’t been seen since the 2011-12 season. Rose also made appearances in the playoffs twice through the franchise, averaging 19.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in 2021.

Overall, the NBA world was united, if for a moment, to bid farewell to the player who left behind fond memories for many basketball enthusiasts. All that remains that is for the Bulls to retire his jersey, and he would have achieved a golden chapter in the book chronicling his legacy.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.