Derrick Rose, youngest MVP in NBA history, announces retirement after 16 seasons
Derrick Rose, the 35-year-old former NBA MVP, announced his retirement on Thursday after a remarkable 16-season career. Rose, who became the youngest player to win the MVP award at age 22, shared the news through a heartfelt post on Instagram, accompanied by a photo of himself in front of a chess set and a letter expressing his love for basketball.
In addition to his Instagram post, Rose took out full-page ads in newspapers across the six NBA cities he played for, thanking fans in Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis.
“The next chapter is about chasing my dreams and sharing my growth,” Rose told The Athletic. “I want to show the world who I am beyond basketball.”
Rose, who was drafted first overall by his hometown Chicago Bulls in 2008, made an immediate impact by winning Rookie of the Year in 2009 and becoming a three-time All-Star. In the 2010-11 season, he averaged 25.0 points and 7.7 assists, leading the Bulls to the Eastern Conference finals and earning the MVP title.
However, his career was marred by injuries, most notably a torn ACL during the 2012 playoffs, which derailed his trajectory. Despite missing the entire 2012-13 season and struggling with injuries throughout his career, Rose averaged 17.4 points and 5.2 assists over 723 games, with 518 starts.
Rose’s final NBA stint was with the Memphis Grizzlies, who granted his request to be released from the last year of his contract earlier this week. Reflecting on his career, Rose said, “Even if I could, I wouldn’t change anything in mine, because it’s what helped me find real joy.”
(Source: AFP)
