CHICAGO, Jan. 24 — Derrick Rose. Chicago Bulls. Immortalized.
That’s what Saturday in Chicago was all about, inside the United Center, where a hometown kid became a permanent part of the franchise history. A full-circle tribute from a city to its hometown hero, sealing a legacy that has lived far beyond the box score.
From the pregame ceremony to the voices filling the building, the night belongs to a player who didn’t just wear a Bulls jersey. He became part of Chicago’s identity.
The Roots
Before the ceremony, Rose was still processing the magnitude of the moment.
“It was unreal. It still didn’t hit me,” Rose said pregame. “All of this, I’m still taking in and trying to process in real time. Even with the weather conditions outside, knowing it’s a Chicago thing to show up, to fight, to show up to an event, that’s huge.”
In the building, that connection was already felt.
(L to R): Shevon Coleman, Ayesha Braggs and Ciah Duprey take a walk through the United Center’s ‘Rose Garden.’
“I’m a Derrick Rose super fan because I’ve watched him all the way from Englewood, where I’m from, to this moment here,” said Ayesha Braggs. “I’ve watched our city go through highs and lows, through the Michael Jordan era. Knowing that he was the youngest MVP ever and that he fought through injury and adversity, he’s a true story of what Chicago is.”
When the City Blooms
The United Center was transformed for the ceremony. The court was set with black velvet couches full of family and friends, a live band filled the arena, and a custom-designed banner stood apart from all the others in the building. No other banner in the rafters carries a design, but this one featured eight roses stitched inside of the No. 1, symbolizing each season Rose played as a Chicago Bull.
Rose walked out in a black suit with silver embellishments, greeting family and friends at center court before stopping to embrace his mother, showering her with kisses as the crowd roared.
Video tributes followed, with messages from current NBA players and Bulls legends Scottie Pippen, with a message of “Once a Bull, always a Bull,” followed by Michael Jordan’s congratulations, bringing the building to its feet.
As the arena screens played, the words echoed across the United Center:
“A story of belief. Belief becomes talent. Talent becomes hope.”
“While no Chicago Bulls player will wear No. 1 again, the city will wear it forever.”
The Standard
Former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau shared one memory that captured who Rose was when it mattered most.
Thibodeau recalled the 2011 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta, when Chicago had lost the first two games at home and the team was heading on the road for Game 3.
“I was upset,” Thibodeau said. “Joakim was running late, and then Derrick came up calm as can be. He starts advocating for Jo. Then he brings [Luol Deng] up, Lu brings Taj [Gibson], explaining what happened, why he was late. The next night, Rose delivered one of the most dominant playoff performances of his career, 44 points, seven assists, the game ended early, we win the series and head to the conference finals.”
Thibodeau called Rose a basketball savant who was never afraid of a big moment.
“His humility made our team special,” Thibodeau said. “His leadership was about trust, accountability, and performance. He showed everyone what it means to be a great Chicago Bull and a great man. The next stop, in my opinion, is the Hall of Fame.”
Later in the ceremony, Rose joked with his former coach, “Thibs, you may have went to Harvard, you may have done physics, but I showed you physics.”
Brotherhood
The voices that helped shape Rose’s legacy were just as present as the banners and tributes.
Gibson, who spent 14 seasons as Rose’s teammate, spoke about their bond. “I didn’t have a lot of brothers growing up. You were my brother,” Gibson said. “You were that teammate you could always look to and you see on every highlight I was setting that screen for you.”
Deng followed with a reflection that echoed through the building. “As special a talent as D is, he’s a better human being,” Deng said. “You’re resilient. You’re original. D, you rose from this city. This is forever.”
Joakim Noah pointed to the moment itself. “Let’s not forget it’s a polar vortex and we have a full crowd,” Noah said. “That speaks volumes. He didn’t just get his jersey retired. He did it in his hometown.”
Still Growing
A couple poses inside the “Rose’s Flower Shop” cart, one of Derrick Rose’s off-court ventures.
Rose reflected on the relationship between himself and the city.
“This journey was never about me,” he said. “Right from the jump, it was about creating a synergy that somehow people from the city can pull from. And somehow, I was that beacon or that vessel for the movement. But now, being 37 and looking at the totality of it, it never was about me. It was about everybody that found ways to come to my games. Somehow, we had some type of vibration that connected. … It was always meant to be.”
As for what comes next, Rose hinted at a future beyond basketball.
“Who knows what’s next,” he said. “My goal isn’t being around the game like that. I want to curate things, the flower shop, chess, to separate myself. I want to be in lanes nobody else is in. You’ll see.”
But tonight isn’t about what’s next.
It’s about what already is.
A city.
A jersey.
A legacy.
And a hometown hero forever tied to Chicago.
