Derrick Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, announced his retirement from the league after an impressive career that spanned 16 years. The six-time NBA All-Star and three-time All-NBA point guard announced his decision on social media Thursday.
He also sent full-page ads in the newspapers of the cities that he would play throughout the season: Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis. Rose wanted to allow those fan bases to appreciate the fans who supported him throughout his basketball career.
Earlier this week, Rose requested to be released from this contract with the Memphis Grizzlies effectively concluding his playing days.
Rose arrived in the NBA as the number one pick of the 2008 draft in his home town team, the Chicago Bulls. At 6-foot-3 tall, he easily became one of the brightest young stars in the league, giving the crowd so much excitement as he showed his athleticism and explosive play with fearless drives to the basket.
Rose won Rookie of the Year in his first season and was a three-time All-Star player. He became the youngest MVP winner ever by the time he reached 22 years old in 2011, guiding the Bulls to a 62-20 record on his way to 25.0 ppg and 7.7 assists. The team came so close that they had made it to the Eastern Conference finals that season, really placing him among the creme de la creme of the league.
Over his career, Rose averaged 17.4 points and 5.2 assists in 723 games, with 518 starts. But injuries had badly restricted his playing time during the past three seasons, and he’d only played in 77 games since. His final stingy with the season was just 24 games.
The departure of Rose represents the ending of an incredible career dotted with outstanding highs and some equal catastrophic setbacks, but his legacy as being one of the most iconic of his generation is undeniable.
