Bulls to retire Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey next season
CHICAGO — The No. 1 will be a permanent fixture in the United Center rafters — and Chicago Bulls history.
The Bulls will retire Derrick Rose’s jersey next season. The decision was announced Saturday as part of the team’s weeklong festivities to celebrate the Chicago native and Simeon product, who retired from the NBA in September after 15 seasons.
The Bulls will fete the three-time All-Star with “Derrick Rose Night” at halftime of Saturday night’s game against the New York Knicks. Rose, 36, played in a Simeon homecoming game Friday evening.
The move to retire Rose’s No. 1 is something of a formality — no player wore the number since the Bulls traded him in June 2016. But this is the final step in fully canonizing Rose’s legacy as an icon of the Bulls and the city of Chicago.
The team has not announced a date for the jersey retirement, which will take place during the 2025-26 season.
After winning consecutive state championships with Simeon and making a run to the NCAA championship game with Memphis, Rose was selected by his hometown team with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft. He won Rookie of the Year and then went on to become the youngest player in league history to win the MVP award in 2011.
While recurring knee and ankle injuries curtailed the longevity of his success, Rose ignited a new wave of Bulls fandom during an eight-year tenure that included six playoff appearances and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. He sat out the entire 2012-13 season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and President/CEO Michael Reinsdorf informed Rose of the decision to retire his number Saturday morning.
“Derrick is both a hometown hero and a symbol of an entire era of Bulls basketball,” Jerry Reinsdorf said. “Retiring a jersey recognizes a player’s impact beyond on-court achievements. It honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization and forged deep, lasting connections with fans. It recognizes that emotional bond and the great influence a player has had on the team and organization’s identity.“
Rose’s jersey will be just the fifth retired by the Bulls, joining Jerry Sloan’s No. 4, Bob Love’s No. 10, Michael Jordan’s No. 23 and Scottie Pippen’s No. 33. The No. 6 jersey also is retired by the entire league in honor of Bill Russell. The Bulls also have retired honorary jerseys for Jerry Krause and Phil Jackson.
