(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — After 16 years in the league, 7 of those with his hometown team, Derrick Rose took to social media Thursday to announce his retirement.
Rose, the product of Englewood, was a long shot to land with the Bulls, who had only a 2% chance of securing the number one overall pick. What a gift it was for the Bulls and more importantly Rose's neighborhood.
“He got drafted to the Bulls at a time when the city of Chicago – specifically speaking, the neighborhood that he grew up in – they needed something positive to latch on to, and they provided that for so many people,” childhood friend and Simeon Head Basketball Coach Timothy Flowers said.
“And you know, obviously about him being an NBA player, you know, everybody talk about, ‘Man, he was able to do this, and do this, and take care of his family.’ But they don't see how many kids was motivated by that young man... that made it to the NBA as the number one draft pick.”
Flowers said although Rose may not be joining his alma mater as a coach, his mentorship is always nearby.
“We had a kid last year who went through a tragic injury, he broke his kneecap prior to the season. And Derrick was kinda there with him through, you know, every step of the way as far as calling him, checking in with him, giving him words of advice and telling him how to deal with the dark days of being injured,” Flowers said.
“So that's who I expect him to continue to be. But I expect him to take that to another level. Derrick's got a story to share, and I think God has now put him in a position where he can share with the world without the game of basketball necessarily as the driving force behind it.”
Rose won the MVP in 2011, before his career was derailed by knee injuries.
In social media posts, the Bulls celebrated Rose as the youngest MVP in NBA history at 22 years old and said “The kid from Englewood turned into a Chicago legend."
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