Derrick Rose would 'love' to have Bulls jersey retired - ESPN

CHICAGO — Ahead of being honored by the Chicago Bulls Saturday night, Derrick Rose said he'd want to see his jersey hanging from the rafters at the United Center someday.

«I would love that,» Rose told ESPN in a sitdown interview in Chicago, where he was born and raised, and spent eight season with his hometown Bulls. «That's more me if they would do it.»

No Bulls player has worn Rose's iconic No. 1 in a game since he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016. Chicago issued the number to Michael Carter-Williams and Anthony Morrow, both of whom switched to a different number after fan backlash.

Rose, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft, won Rookie of the Year honors in 2008-09. Two seasons later he became the youngest MVP in NBA history at 22 years old, leading the Bulls to 62 wins, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and their first Eastern Conference Finals trip since Michael Jordan retired.

However, a year later, Rose suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the opening game of the 2012 playoffs, causing him to miss the entire 2012-13 season. He returned the following season and had a memorable highlight in 2015, making a buzzer beater in the playoffs to give the Bulls a 2-1 lead over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but never returned to All-Star status.

Rose said he believes that having his number retired, along with his other accolades, would cement his place in league history.

«That would be my way of getting close to the Top 75, and I'm only saying that because it relates to the MVP,» Rose said. «It's only a handful, a small group that got that trophy back there. And to think that way of playing, the Chicago way of playing, is not in that 75, it makes you think about it a little bit or question it a