On Saturday, January 24th, the Chicago Bulls plan to retire Derrick Rose’s jersey. Number one will forever be cemented in the rafters of the United Center, only to be worn by his son, P.J. Rose, if he ever plays for the franchise. Ahead of this weekend’s celebration, Derrick Rose joined 670 The Score for an interview this morning. During this segment, he spoke about the honor of being the fifth player in franchise history to have his jersey retired, commented on the organization’s current condition, and sprinkled in what made playing in his hometown so special. Here were the best moments and highlights from the conversation.
Embodied The Chicago Spirit
One of the most essential messages Rose relayed earlier today was that his style of play and the way he conducted himself reflected the city he’s from. He was born and raised in Chicago, attended high school in the town, took a brief leave to attend the University of Memphis for his collegiate career, and then returned home after being drafted first overall by the Chicago Bulls. He immediately turned the franchise around and quickly became one of the most electric and entertaining players the city had seen since Michael Jordan. After being named the youngest MVP award winner in league history, his career was rapidly derailed by injury. Rose is often referred to as one of the biggest “what if” cases in NBA history, alluding to what he could have accomplished if he hadn’t sustained such constant and devastating injuries. For Rose, it was more about representing his home city.
Bulls legend Derrick Rose: "I didn't play this way solely for me. It's the Chicago way of playing. That's the way that I played. That's the way that every time I stepped on the floor, I always tried to show a Chicago toughness."
Rose would "love" to get into the Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/GWJASq3uWs
— 670 The Score (@thescorechicago) January 21, 2026
Being raised in the Windy City gave the legend a perfect perspective on what it meant to play with grit, heart, determination, and relentless pursuit of greatness. That’s exactly what he represented, and he’s become one of the most idolized sports icons in the city because of it.
His Fix To The Current Bulls Roster
Since the Rose era ended, things have gone terribly for the franchise. In the ten seasons since his departure, the organization has boasted one winning season, one playoff appearance, and only one postseason victory. They’re pacing to miss the playoffs again this year, and have failed to make substantial changes in quite some time. From Rose’s perspective, this city desperately needs star power.
Derrick Rose on the current Bulls: "You need a star. You need a superstar to come change certain things."
YouTube: https://t.co/IIKiUSTVdg
Podcast: https://t.co/D0cGGtiehD pic.twitter.com/tU8VqbbW8s
— 670 The Score (@thescorechicago) January 21, 2026
As many Chicago fans can agree, the team needs a new superstar. They haven’t had a consistent All-Star or All-NBA talent since the Rose and Jimmy Butler pairing, and they haven’t made any significant strides toward acquiring one. Whether it’s via free agency or a top selection in the draft, the Bulls sorely need a new face of the franchise.
Responding To The Critics
Part of the controversy that surrounded Rose during his playing days is that he was not much of a vocal recruiter during free agency or trade deadline periods. This was the beginning of the superteam era, in which multiple stars would join forces in one club and drift away from traditional standards of developing talent, fostering rivalries, and maintaining loyalty to a franchise. It’s hard to blame the former MVP and Rookie of the Year for not publicly pushing for other players, especially after hearing his reasoning.
Derrick Rose reflected on the criticism he took for doing very little recruiting for the Bulls in free agency.
"I felt like I was showing loyalty to my teammates," Rose says.
Rose feels like he would've had a "fake relationship" with teammates if he'd asked for a lot of roster… pic.twitter.com/6kt7OcBGgO
— 670 The Score (@thescorechicago) January 21, 2026
This goes back to embodying the Chicago spirit. Jordan was never regarded as a recruiter; the city has never been known to seek handouts, and with the Bulls’ growing success, Rose never felt it necessary. In addition, any verbal support of bringing in specific players meant replacing his current teammates, which was a line of disrespect and betrayal that the three-time All-Star was unwilling to cross.
None of today’s chat was a surprise to the fans in Chicago, but it did remind the city why they’re retiring his number forever. His stoic manner, excellent talent, and magical revival of the franchise are all generational finds that the organization has failed to discover since his playing days.
