Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose announced on Thursday that he is retiring from the NBA after a 16-year career. Rose announced his decision on social media and also took out full-page ads in the local newspapers of the six NBA cities he played in to thank those fan-bases — Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis.
Rose, 35, shared with ESPN: “Knowing that I gave my all to the game, I feel confident in my decision. Basketball was just the beginning for me. Now, it’s important that I give my all to my family — they deserve that.”
Rose wrote in his announcement: “Thank you, my first love. You believed in me through the highs and the lows, my constant when everything else seemed uncertain. You showed me what love truly meant. You gave me a gift, our time together, one that I will cherish for the rest of my days. You told me it’s OK to say goodbye, reassuring me that you’ll always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me.”
Rose arrived in the league as the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 draft, where he spent eight of his 16 years in the NBA. Rose also played for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. Rose was named Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, and became league MVP in 2010-11, when he averaged a career-high 25 points per game, along with 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per appearance.
Shortly after his MVP year, Rose’s career was derailed by injuries. An ACL tear resulted in missing the entire 2012-13 season, and the three-time All-Star also missed the majority of the 2013-14 season. The 6-foot-3 point guard averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game over 24 appearances last season for the Grizzlies. He was set to make $3.4 million in 2024-25, the final year of his contract with the franchise, but was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday (who granted Rose’s request to let him out of the final year of his contract).
Over 723 career appearances, Rose averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds, including 518 starts.
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