Former NBA MVP, No. 1 overall pick, and New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose announced his retirement on Thursday morning after 16 years in the league.
The 35-year-old broke his news on his social media accounts and in the six cities in which he spent time during his NBA career: Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis.
Still, with one year on his contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, Rose was granted his release from the deal, allowing him to call it quits.
“The next chapter is about chasing my dreams and sharing my growth,” a statement from Rose read. “I believe true success comes from becoming who you were created to be, and I want to show the world who I am beyond basketball.”
The No. 1 overall pick out of Memphis, where he became one of the most electrifying college prospects of this generation, Rose immediately excelled with the Chicago Bulls, winning the 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year while being named to three-straight All-Star games.
In 2011, he became the youngest MVP in league history, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists per game as a 22-year-old while leading the Bulls to an NBA-best 62-20 record and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
His career was derailed by an onslaught of injuries, which began with a torn ACL during the 2012 playoffs, forcing him to miss all of 10 games over the next two seasons.
Unable to recapture his MVP-caliber level, the Bulls traded Rose to the Knicks ahead of the 2016-17 season where he averaged 18 points and 4.4 assists per game.
After stops with the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Pistons, he was re-acquired by the Knicks midway through the 2020-21 season and remained with the team through 2022-23, though he continued to battle injuries.
“Whether good or bad, everyone has a ‘what if’ story in their life,” Rose said. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t change anything in mine, because it’s what helped me find real joy.”
Over 723 career games, Rose averaged 17.4 points and 5.2 assists.
