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Should the Chicago Bulls retire Derrick Rose’s jersey number?

By Luke Askew

DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 25: Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Denver Nuggetson November 25, 2014 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 25: Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Denver Nuggetson November 25, 2014 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Whenever former Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose decides to hang up his basketball shoes for good, should the team retire his jersey number?

When you think of Chicago Bulls basketball, what do you think of?

More than likely the answer to that question is the Michael Jordan era. You know, when M.J., Scottie Pippen and Co. were tearing up the entire league. That’s the most iconic era of Bulls basketball ever. Heck, it’s one of the most iconic eras of NBA basketball ever.

What’s next on the list of memorable Bulls basketball moments, though? There has to be more than just the Jordan era. Maybe it’s Bob Love’s run throughout the late ’60s and early ’70s. Maybe it’s Jimmy Butler desperately trying to will his team to a deep playoff run even if it meant berating them in the process.

For me, Derrick Rose is the second guy I think of after Michael Jordan. Derrick Rose is Bulls basketball.

All of this begs the question, should anyone ever wear a No. 1 Bulls jersey ever again? Let’s dive into it.

Derrick Rose is a homegrown Chicago kid who gave Bulls fans their first glimpse of hope post-Michael Jordan. That’s not an easy burden to carry on your shoulders, but Rose seemed ready for it. In 2009, he won the Rookie of the Year award, and a mere two years later, he became the youngest MVP in the history of the league. He was only 22 (22!) years old. For reference, Lauri Markkanen, the up-and-coming 7-footer, is also only 22 years old. He’s solid, but he’s nowhere close to winning an MVP trophy.

It’s simply amazing that Rose was the league MVP at such a young age. But as quickly as the kid from Englewood rose to the top of the league, he fell. You all know the story. A plethora of injuries (mostly to his legs) led to the end of Rose’s dominance. He hasn’t played for the Bulls since the 2015-16 season, and he spent last season in a bench role on a middle-of-the-road Timberwolves team.

Lots of Bulls fans have been talking about a potential Bulls/Rose reunion in the future. If that is to happen, Rose should be the last player ever to wear No. 1 for the Bulls. Yes, they should retire his jersey.

I mean, can you imagine if some young kid came in and wanted to wear the No. 1 jersey? It would feel wrong. It would look weird. It would be blasphemous.

I don’t understand why some Bulls fans feel like Rose let them down on the court. Sure, the Bulls were a championship-caliber team before he got hurt. Sure, he maybe (emphasis on maybe) could’ve returned to the court in the 2013 NBA Playoffs. I know the arguments that Rose haters have, but those just aren’t acceptable arguments. It’s not his fault he got hurt, and despite whatever medical hurdles he jumped over in the rehab process, he didn’t feel like he was ready to return in the 2013 Playoffs. Bulls fans have to learn to trust him on that.

Rose went through more than any basketball player (or human being) should ever have to go through, and he continued to put his family first and stay true to the city of Chicago.

Next. Ranking the 5 best Bulls of the decade. dark

The fact of the matter is Derrick Rose is the third most important Bull of all time and there’s no way anyone should ever wear his jersey again. Rose was the basketball hero that Chicago deserved and the one it needed.

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