On January 4, 2025, the Chicago Bulls made an official announcement: one of the city’s most iconic athletes will have his No. 1 jersey raised to the rafters. Derrick Rose, the hometown point guard whose career defined a Bulls era, will become the fifth player after Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen, to receive the honor. 

And as it turns out, Derrick Rose found out about it surrounded by people who had walked the journey with him. In a video posted by the BleacherReport on X, longtime Bulls staffer Mike Wilhelm told him directly, “Next year when we retire your number and at rafters, it’s going to be more about you than fans… I’m just telling nobody’s wearing that number one jersey again unless, PJ is a Bull, then he’s wearing that number one jersey all right is that fair? We really, I mean, Derrick, we love you. We appreciate everything you’ve done for Chicago, and you’re a special person.”

Rose, visibly emotional, teared up. CHSN_Bulls posted on X, “The Chicago Bulls will retire Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey on January 24, 2026 🌹”. And soon Rose shared his own thoughts, not through a press conference, but in a brief Instagram story: “The game has given me more than I ever could have imagined. From Englewood to the rafters, my story has always been about making the city proud. This isn’t for me, this is for Chicago. Peace and Love, Pooh 1.24.26”

In a career that has gone through ups and downs, riddled with injuries, Rose became a three-time All-Star and led the Bulls to seven consecutive playoff appearances. His 2010-11 MVP season, when he averaged twenty-five points and 7.7 assists while leading the Bulls to a 62-20 record, remains one of the most electric campaigns in team history. 

Chicago Bulls Announce Jersey Retirement

The official announcement was made earlier this year. The Bulls President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf informed Rose in person in Chicago. “Derrick is both a hometown hero and a symbol of an entire era of Bulls basketball,” said Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “Retiring a jersey recognizes a player’s impact beyond on-court achievements. It honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization and forged deep, lasting connections with fans.” Growing up in Englewood, then Simeon Career Academy, Derrick has carried Chicago with him every time he stepped on the floor. He went from being the No. 1 overall pick in 2008 to being named the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011.

The upcoming jersey retirement on January 24, 2026, will be a city-wide celebration of resilience and pride. The Bulls plan to mark the occasion with “The Derrick Rose Experience” inside the United Center atrium, tribute giveaways throughout the season, and four commemorative figurine nights, each representing a different chapter of Rose’s Bulls journey.

This moment will be about everything, from the layups, the ACL tear, the comeback, the 50-point night in Minnesota, the cheers every time he returned to the United Center in a different jersey. It will be about a kid from the South Side who made the entire city believe again. No one’s worn No. 1 in a Bulls game since Rose was traded in 2016. And now, no one ever will, unless his son PJ becomes a Bull.