Derrick Rose Announces Retirement; Former NBA MVP Played for Bulls, Knicks, More

After 16 seasons in the NBA, veteran point guard Derrick Rose has called it a career.

Rose, who was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on Sept. 24, announced his retirement on Thursday in a statement on Instagram.

Ian Begley of SNY reported after the Grizzlies waived Rose that the team actually let him out of his contract, indicating that he already had his mind made up on his next career move. He was originally set to make $3.4 million during the 2024-25 season in the final year of his contract with Memphis.

Rose began his career as the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He quickly established himself as one of the most exciting players in the league, earning the 2009 Rookie of the Year award and earning three straight All-Star selections from 2010 to 2012.

In 2011, Rose became the youngest player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP award after leading the Bulls to a league-best 62-20 record while averaging 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists across 81 games. Unfortunately, his career took a turn the following year when he suffered a devastating torn ACL.

Rose was never the same after returning to the court, as he never averaged 20 or more points or appeared in 70 games in a season following his knee injury. After departing Chicago, he bounced around the league with stops with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons.

In his first year in Memphis, Rose endured an injury-riddled year that saw him miss significant time due to knee and hamstring issues. In total, he was limited to 24 games and averaged 8.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes of action.

Despite the disappointing season, the 35-year-old said in April he intended to continue his career. At the time, he assumed he would remain with the Grizzlies, but he added that he was motivated to bounce back.

“Yes, I’m coming back,” Rose said. “I talked to [general manager] Zach [Kleiman], I talked to coach. … This summer, it’s all about attacking my rehabs, my workouts and continuing to be disciplined.”

Rose appears to have had a change of heart, as he will now enjoy his time off the court in his retirement. He ends his career with averages of 17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 723 games played.

Rose will be remembered as one of the most athletic and exciting point guards to grace the NBA, and many are left wondering what his career would’ve looked like without his unfortunate string of injuries.