Michael Reinsdorf: Thank you, Derrick Rose, One of Chicago’s Own

Commentary by Michael Reinsdorf, president and chief operating officer of the Chicago Bulls. 

If you want to understand Chicago, just look at Derrick Rose.

He’s from the South Side, and he carried himself with the toughness, humility and resilience this city is known for. He brought that mindset to every court he stepped on, letting his play do the talking. Even at the height of his career, when he was as electric and explosive as anyone in the game, he carried himself with a quiet confidence that lifted his teammates and made the city proud.

And while many remember Derrick’s MVP trophy, his record-setting rookie playoff game against Boston in 2009 and the two-handed dunk over the Phoenix Suns’ Goran Dragić in 2010, when I think about Derrick, I think about his character. on the court, as a teammate, and in the way he handled hardship.

During the 2011-12 season, before the knee injury that would ultimately change the course of his career, Derrick missed time with a few minor injuries. I remember having lunch with him during that stretch. Instead of frustration, he talked about it as a positive. He said his teammates were learning how to win without him and that when he came back, the team would be stronger because of it. What struck me was how naturally he viewed the game through the lens of his teammates, the trust he had in them and how instinctively he put the “we” ahead of the “me.”

I saw that same perspective during the Eastern Conference finals in Miami. After a tough loss, I was in the bowels of the arena following the press conference when Derrick turned to a family member and asked where his mom was and if she was OK. In a moment filled with frustration and disappointment, his first instinct wasn’t about basketball. It was about family. That moment stayed with me, because it revealed what mattered most to him, even when things were hardest.

Derrick’s story isn’t a straight line of highlights. It’s a Chicago story. Growing up in Englewood, fighting through injuries, and continuing to show up with belief and resolve, he kept going. That kind of perseverance connects a city, whether you’re from the North or South Side, the city or the suburbs. He connected fans around the world not just to the Bulls but to Chicago itself.

One last thing stays with me. In my conversations with Derrick over the years, it was clear that he never wanted to be defined only by basketball. Even when he was young, he talked about himself first as a father and about wanting to build a full, meaningful life beyond the game, whenever that time came.

We don’t take jersey retirements lightly at the Chicago Bulls. Each one is an enduring statement about who we are and whose impact on our organization and our city is undeniable. When people walk into the United Center and look up, they see the names that tell the story of Chicago basketball and Chicago character. Derrick belongs there.

And while fans loved him, what stayed with me most was how his teammates felt. In recent years, when I spoke with former teammates, there was a shared sense that hanging his jersey was simply the right thing to do. Hearing that told me everything I needed to know. Derrick was, and still is, loved. Not just for what he did, but for who he is.

On Saturday, Derrick joins Michael Jordan, Bob Love, Scottie Pippen and Jerry Sloan. His number belongs in the rafters not only because of what he accomplished but also because of the responsibility he carried and who he is.

Humble. Tough. Generous. A teammate. A son. A father. A Chicagoan.

Derrick, this honor reflects the player you were, but even more, the person you’ve always been. Thank you.