In Chicago, January 4, 2025 was all about Derrick Rose as the city celebrated the former Bulls point guard’s legacy during a halftime ceremony at the team’s United Center. But while it was heartwarming to watch everyone from former teammates to the broadcasters who called his games share their fondest memories of Rose’s time with the team, one of the most touching moments of the night came courtesy of Rose’s oldest son, PJ.
Rose, who announced his retirement from the NBA in September of 2024, got a warm welcome from fans who chanted, “MVP” as he entered the stadium. The Bulls and visiting New York Knicks also paid tribute to Rose, wearing t-shirts printed with the date 1.4.25 – a nod to the numbers the Chicago native wore while playing with the Bulls, the Knicks, and his high school team, Chicago’s Simeon Career Academy. The team also debuted the Derrick Rose Atrium Experience at the United Center, an exhibit which features memorabilia from his career.
But it was a video tribute to Rose that had everyone reaching for their tissues. The video, which featured a voice over from 12-year-old PJ, showed the star and his son visiting the United Center and other special places around Chicago. Rose addressed the fans after the video and told a story about a joke the family shares.
“If they see me lacking on something, they say, ‘Dad, you wanna be good or great?’” he said as he looked at his son. “And that [makes] me remember, I’m trying to be great. You hear me? Great.”
The camera then cut to PJ, who was clearly touched by his dad’s comments.
The Bulls organization thanked Rose for his contributions to the team and the city in a video posted to X on January 4, announcing that his no. 1 jersey would be retired.
“Nobody’s wearing that number one jersey again, unless PJ is a Bull,” Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf told Rose. “Then he’s wearing that number one jersey.”
Rose, who was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2008 where he played until 2016, is only the fifth player in franchise history to have his number retired. The exclusive club includes Jerry Sloan’s no. 4, Bob Love’s no. 10, Michael Jordan’s no. 23, and Scottie Pippen’s no. 33. During his time with the team, Rose was named Rookie of the Year in 2009 and was named an All-Star for his first three seasons in the league. In 2011, he became the youngest player honored as Most Valuable Player in the history of the NBA.