It is therefore this January 24, 2026 that Derrick Rose’s jersey will join those of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, but also Bob Love and Jerry Sloane, on the ceiling of the United Center. On the floor, his young heirs will welcome the Celtics, while Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson will be in the front row to experience this historic moment. Everyone hopes that Tom Thibodeau will also make the trip.
“He was doing an interview at the practice facility the day of the Clippers game last week, and I got to spend some time with him.”says Billy Donovan. “He also sometimes comes in the evening with his kids and his kids’ AAU team, which he coaches while they train here. He’s an incredible person. I know him, but I also listen a lot to what Joakim says about him, and I have a lot of confidence in Joakim on these kinds of things, as a teammate and as a man. In my interactions with Derrick, I have always found him extremely humble and very grateful for his time in Chicago. I am really happy that he is honored. And beyond the basketball player, on a human level, he is an exceptional person.”
A role model for Chicago youth
Derrick Rose is the one who put Chicago back on the NBA map, and without his serious knee injury, he would undoubtedly have been one of the greatest players of his generation. Originally from the city, Ayo Dosunmu emphasizes his impact on local youth. “He counted a lot” confides the Bulls back. “He gave the city hope and made sure everyone wanted to watch every game. Great playoff runs, great memories, and he gave the kids of Chicago the belief that if he could do it, then others could too.”
Since Derrick Rose left the Bulls in 2016, no one has ever worn his number 1 again, and now it will be permanent. Among all the personalities that the Bulls have honored, he will be the first native of Chicago, and Joakim Noah insists on this parameter. “When you know the history of this city, its pain, its love, its passion for sport… Chicago is different”he recalls. “And the way Derrick was able to portray all of that, I think a lot of people identified with it and deeply respected him.”
“I have no regrets. I gave everything”
As for the person concerned, always as humble, he expressed his immense pride in having met the expectations of those who, from a very young age, saw in him a future NBA star. “For me, it’s about paying tribute to everyone in this room, everyone who has been a part of the history, the journey, the good, the bad, the difficult — to celebrate everyone.” he confided when he heard the news. “I know that coming from Chicago, it’s tough love. I had expectations placed on me from a very young age: from 6th grade, everyone said I was going to go to the NBA. Since that time, living with those expectations and not feeling them as a burden, I’ve always seen them as challenges.”
This week, he reiterated that he had no regrets even if his collective record does not match his individual greatness. “When I look at all the players whose jerseys have been retired or who have won titles, you have the feeling that they gave everything and that people respected that. I feel something very similar. We didn’t win a title, but I have no regrets. I gave everything. I really pushed my body to the maximum when I was on the pitch. I did everything I could do.”
