Former NBA MVP and first overall draft pick Derrick Rose has retired from basketball at the age of 35.
Rose was selected first overall in the 2008 NBA draft by his hometown Chicago Bulls and won the MVP award in 2011 during a seven-season stint with the team.
He then moved to New York, before bouncing back in the latter stages of his career, partly due to a series of injuries.
He announced the news on social media Thursday morning, and also took out pages in local newspapers in every city he played in: Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis.
In a further statement to The Athletic, he said: “This next chapter is about chasing my dreams and sharing my growth. I believe true success comes from becoming who you were created to be, and I want to show the world who I am beyond basketball.
Derrick Rose has announced his retirement from the NBA with a statement on his Instagram
Rose became the youngest NBA MVP at the age of 22 after an incredible season in 2011.
‘Whether good or bad, we all have a ‘What if’ story in our life. Even if I could, I wouldn’t change a thing about mine, because it’s what helped me find true joy.’
Rose played the final season of his career in Memphis and had one year remaining on his contract with the Grizzlies, which they have now let him out of.
The 6’3″ guard quickly established himself as a star in the NBA during his first season, winning the Rookie of the Year award, and was an All-Star for the next three seasons.
In 2011, he became the youngest MVP in history, winning at age 22 after averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists per game.
A year later, his career took a heartbreaking turn when he tore his ACL in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, causing him to miss the entire 2012–13 season and play in just 10 games in 2013–14.
Rose most recently played for the Memphis Grizzlies, but opted out of his senior year.
In a lengthy statement, Rose paid tribute to his “first love” after a 17-year basketball career.
The now ex-NBA star poses with his wife, whose initials he has tattooed on his neck.
In 2016, he was traded to the Knicks, then moved on to the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Pistons, returned to the Knicks and then to the Grizzlies.
In a statement posted to her 1.8 million Instagram followers, Rose called basketball her “first love” and went on to write: “You believed in me through the ups and downs, my constant when everything else seemed uncertain.
“You showed me what love truly meant. You made the court my sanctuary, a home where I could express myself freely.”
At the end of the statement, he signs: ‘Forever yours, Derrick Rose.’
In the image alongside the post, Rose can be seen holding a copy of today’s newspaper, which contains his advertisement, and sitting in front of a chess board.
Rose falls to the court after being tripped while playing for the Bulls in November 2014
Rose and his wife Alaina A. Anderson pose for a photo before their vacation earlier this year.
Rose also has the word ‘Khammurrabi’ and her mother’s name ‘Brenda’ tattooed on her hand.
Aside from basketball, one of Rose’s biggest passions in life is chess, and he has previously been credited as being “the biggest chess fan in the NBA.”
However, his life has also been plagued by controversy. In 2016, Rose was involved in a federal civil lawsuit after being accused of gang-raping an ex-girlfriend along with two friends.
The accuser, identified as Jane Doe in court transcripts, claimed she was drugged against her consent on the day of the alleged rape in 2013 and drifted in and out of consciousness.
In October 2016, an eight-member jury found Rose not liable, and an appeal was denied in 2018.
