The Chicago Bulls Will Retire Derrick Rose's Jersey Number

During his time in Chicago, Rose made the Bulls a respected franchise again

It’s been over three months since Derrick Rose announced his retirement from the NBA. During the 15 years he spent in the league, he played for six teams, but the Chicago Bulls was where he cemented his legacy.

On Saturday, NBA writer Shams Charania revealed that the Bulls have decided to retire Rose’s No. 1 jersey. And rightfully so. As soon as Rose put on the red and white jersey, he showcased nothing short of excellence.

After playing one year at the University of Memphis, he was selected by the Bulls as the first pick in the 2008 draft. In the first 10 games of his career, he averaged 18.9 points, becoming the first Bulls player to score 10-plus points in his first 10 games after getting drafted.

Rose finished that year with averages of 16.8 points and 6.3 assists, enough to help him win the Rookie of the Year award. With that accomplishment, he joined Michael Jordan and Elton Brand as the only Bulls players to win the award and the first number one draft pick since LeBron James.

The Bulls made the playoffs that year, losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round. Despite that, Rose put up a historic performance in Game 1, as he turned in 36 points, four rebounds, and 11 assists. Those numbers tied him with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most points scored by a rookie in his playoff debut. He even joined Chris Paul as the second player in NBA history to record 35-plus points and 10-plus assists in his first playoff game.

During the 2009-10 season, Rose started to reach his potential. While leading the Bulls in scoring and assists with averages of 20.8 and 6.8, he made his first of three straight All-Star teams. Although he made the team as a reserve, he was the first Bulls player to earn an All-Star selection since Jordan in 1998. Despite the Bulls losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs, Rose averaged 26.8 points and 7.2 assists.

The 2010-11 campaign was Rose’s best one.

During that year, he averaged a career-high 25.0 points, a career-high 4.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.0 steals. His greatest game was arguably on Mar. 17, when he recorded his first and only career triple-double. In a victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, Rose logged 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Not only did he make the All-Star team that year, but he also won the Most Valuable Player award, making him the youngest player to achieve the award.

Once the playoffs arrived, Rose continued to showcase his MVP performances. With averages of 27.1 points and 7.7 assists, he led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1998. Although they lost to the Miami Heat in five games, it was still an admirable way to end a historic season.

The following season was when Rose's career took a downfall. He led the Bulls back to the playoffs but tore his ACL in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers. Throughout his last three years, he dealt with injuries as he played just 127 of the possible 246 games.

Although his time in Chicago didn’t end as expected, his legacy there can’t be denied.

Cory Nelson is a contributor to The Lead. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson