The Chicago Bulls to Retire 2011 NBA MVP Jersey in 2026
Back in the fall of 2024, Derrick Rose announced his retirement from the NBA. The announcement left many fans sad but also grateful that they got to experience the greatness that was the former first overall pick. Now, what many fans had hoped for is coming true almost a year later: he will get his jersey retirement in January 2026. Rose, being a Chicago native, was the city's hope for a new era at one point. Now his number one jersey will be in the rafters alongside the great Michael Jordan in Chicago. The Chicago Bulls franchise was hoping for a turning point when Derrick Rose was drafted in 2008.
Not since the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan, did the Bulls have an actual franchise-changing player like Derrick Rose. He quickly became everything as advertised. His explosiveness to the rim, combined with furious dunks and speed, left fans amazed and excited every time he took the court. Even beyond that, what fans have come to love and appreciate the most about Rose is his humbleness, kindness, and down-to-earth personality. His jersey retirement signifies that, despite the internal struggles with the organization, sometimes. The Chicago Bulls recognize his 2011 NBA MVP season, his admiration by fans, and his warrior spirit when taking on the Miami Heat's big three back in the early 2010s.
No one will ever forget the emotional 50-point game he had as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and how emotional it was. It was the last glimpse of prime Derrick Rose we got to see. He knew it, and fans who were there through it all knew it. The timing of this Jersey retirement is symbolic because it is coming at a time when the Bulls are moving forward, with a young core of players, like Coby White, who are leading the charge now. People will now have the opportunity to always look up and remember the years of prime Derrick Rose and every contribution he has made for fans and the league combined. Derrick Rose once said in a quote about his faith, "As long as I have my faith in God, I'm good. I know everything else is going to come". Now is the time for his jersey to be retired and remembered forever.
