In an emotional ceremony after Saturday’s game at the United Center, the Bulls celebrated No. 1 Derrick Rose.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls they retired the shirt Derrick Rose number 1 on Saturday night, following their 106-103 victory against the Celtics.
Rose became emotional during the ceremony, wiping away tears as her former teammates Taj Gibson of the Luol Deng They pronounced the opening words. Rose then gave an emotional speech, paying tribute to his mother Brenda, his siblings, some former teammates in attendance, and the crowd that filled the stadium in his hometown of Chicago, as nearly all fans remained in their seats for more than an hour after the game.
Rose became the fifth Bulls player in history to have his number retired, joining Jerry Sloan (number 4), Bob Love (number 10), Michael Jordan (number 23) and Scottie Pippen (number 33). The Bulls also have banners honoring the former coach Phil Jackson and former general manager Jerry Krause.
“This road was never about me,” Rose said before the win. “It was about creating a synergy that people in the city could draw inspiration from. And in some way, I was that beacon or that vehicle for it, through basketball.”
Even as temperatures dipped into the single digits in Chicago on Saturday, fans lined up outside the United Center hours before the start of the game, hoping to see the star of the night up close. A black jersey with Rose’s name and number on the back was posted on every seat in the stadium, and Bulls players wore the same jersey during pregame warmups.
Rose took the court about an hour before the game, as fans scrambled to take photos and videos. Rose shot baskets with his son, while his family and former teammates gathered along the baseline and at center court.
“All of this, this moment, I’m still trying to take it in,” Rose said. “I just feel grateful. Knowing the weather conditions there, knowing that it’s a Chicago thing, just to come here, to overcome all that and still make it to the event, it’s huge.”
A Chicago orchestra performed the team’s introductory song, “SIRIUS” by the Alan Parsons Project, to kick off the postgame festivities, while fans chanted “MVP, MVP” throughout the night. Several current Bulls players, such as White Coby, Job Giddey, Zach Collins is the other novato New novato, They returned to the bench to witness the ceremony.
After scoring the triple that broke the tie with one second remaining, the Bulls guard, Kevin Huerter, He said after the game that he considered jumping into the arms of his teammates, in a gesture reminiscent of Rose’s celebration after his game-winning basket in the 2015 playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Rose, a Chicago native, played eight seasons with the Bulls after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2008 draft. He was named Rookie of the Year in the 2008-09 season and was an All-Star selection three times. In 2011, he became the youngest player in NBA history to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
A year ago, Rose said he wanted his jersey retirement ceremony to be a celebration for everyone. On Saturday, he reiterated that point, crediting fans for the connection they had forged in the city.
“It’s about everyone who found a way to come to my games,” Rose said. “Somehow, we had a special connection. … It’s no coincidence that all this is happening and that the people who saw me play came today.”
The Bulls honored Rose last January following his retirement at the start of the 2024-25 season, but the organization waited until this year to retire his jersey.
“We wanted to pay tribute to him, but we wanted to take the time to plan something really special,” Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf told ESPN last week. “I guess we could have done it last year, but I think this is the right way to do it. We give you time to prepare and we give ourselves time to prepare for the big day.”
The Bulls showed a video on the big screen after the game, featuring some of Rose’s former teammates, NBA superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry y Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Rose’s family and friends, and Chicagoans talking about the impact she had on their lives and the city.
About 20 former teammates were present on Saturday. Rose sat in a box during the game along with former teammates such as Gibson, Deng, Joakim Noah, Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich, and coach Tom Thibodeau. Noah said the group met the night before the ceremony and the meeting lasted until early Saturday morning.
“Many, many nights, many difficult situations, many battles, he was always there with me,” Gibson told fans Saturday night. “And he was that comforting companion that you always looked up to, and he always said, ‘I’ve got your back.’”
Rose was able to see the commemorative banner earlier this week, when he saw the finished product at the United Center before it was hoisted to the roof. He said seeing the banner was “amazing,” but he was still trying to come to terms with his emotions.
However, those in the Bulls organization made it clear what Rose’s banner meant to them.
“Even though we didn’t win a championship, our fans really loved that era of NBA basketball. Chicago Bulls” Reinsdorf said. “Derrick was born in Chicago. He’s one of ours. He played for the city, the city he grew up in and loved and had so much affection for.
“This is forever,” Deng told fans after the game. “When people talk about all the minutes, all the injuries, everything we went through, that’s our trophy. That’s our trophy.”
