Source: Mike Ehrmann / Getty
As a new era of NBA superstars is being ushered into the spotlight, players from the mid-2000s are handing it over.
Now, one of the most prolific players of the ’00s is retiring, signaling the end of Derrick Rose‘s career.
Rose was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies Monday –after he was set to make $3.4 million during the 2024-25 season– and followed it up with a poetic retirement announcement. On Instagram and in a full-page newspaper ad for the Detroit Free Press, D. Rose explains his love for the game, his hard work, and knowing it’s time to hand up his sneakers for the last time in a note entitled “Thank You, My First Love.”
“You believed in me through the highs and lows, my constant when everything else seemed uncertain. You showed me what love truly meant. You turned the court into my sanctuary, a home where I could express myself freely. You made every early morning and late night we spent together worth every drop of sweat. You reminded me that I could always rely on you, that in every moment of doubt, you would show me what I’m capable of,” it begins.
He goes on to wax poetic about how basketball allowed him to experience a life bigger than his city and the lessons he learned.
You introduced me to new places and cultures that a kid from Chicago could have never imagined. You taught me that every loss was a lesson and every win was a reason to be grateful. You offered wisdom that was not just about the game, but about life, discipline, hard work, perseverance,” he continues. “You showed me that passion is something to cherish, ensuring that I pour my heart into every dribble, every shot, every play. You stood by me even when the world seemed against me, unconditionally, waiting for me to pick you up.”
He ends his message knowing that basketball will always be part of his fabric despite calling it quits, “no matter where life takes me.”
As a kid from The Windy City, he became a hometown hero when the Chicago Bulls drafted him with the first pick in the 2008 draft after just a season at Memphis.
He went on to prove his explosive talent, winning Rookie of the Year in 2009 and becoming the youngest MVP in league history in 2011. However, after that historic career, his performance was hampered by knee injuries, such as tearing his ACL, meniscus, tendinitis, and medial meniscus on both knees, as well as general soreness.
Still, he proved to play a significant sixth-man role after leaving the Bulls in 2016 for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
See below how social media is celebrating his 16-year career.
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