Four-time NBA champion LeBron James is currently playing in his 23rd season in the league and seems to be setting new milestones with every passing game as he continues to keep Father Time at bay.
With James playing for over two decades, the future Hall of Famer has seen a lot of great players come and go while playing in multiple generations of NBA players. One player who played during the prime of James’ career, who set the league ablaze, was Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose.
Although Rose didn’t end up having the career that many anticipated, as injuries started to pile up, the explosive point guard left his mark on the league while also inspiring a generation of players, becoming the youngest player to ever win an NBA MVP award at 22 years old following the 2010-11 campaign.
Lakers’ James Hopes NBA Fans Don’t Forget Rose
During the “Mind The Game” podcast with co-host Steve Nash, James opened up about the former Bulls superstar and how he hopes the Chicago icon doesn’t get forgotten by NBA fans.
“I hope, and I hope dearly, people have not forgot about Derrick Rose,” James said. “One of the most explosive players that I’ve ever played, one of the most competitive players I ever played. Injuries suck. They really do. And he’s one of those examples. We have a lot of examples in our sport, obviously, over the years since this game has been introduced.
“But the battles that I had against D-Rose when I was in Miami, when I went back to Cleveland, the guy, I think he’s the youngest, if people don’t know, he’s the youngest MVP in our league’s history. And what he meant for the Chicago Bulls, he meant even more for the city of Chicago in whole. And he’s a legend, he’s a great, and we all love Derrick Rose. If you have ever played basketball, have ever been a part of our league, there’s not one bad thing people could say about Derrick Rose.”
Even though Rose played 15 seasons in the NBA before retiring, the former No. 1 overall draft pick was never the same player he was during his time with the Bulls from 2008 to 2016.
Rose bounced around the league after being traded to the New York Knicks by the Bulls in June of 2016. He struggled to stay healthy during stints with the Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies.
Despite not living up to expectations after making a name for himself with the Bulls, current and former players still think very highly of Rose and the impact he had while thrilling the fans in Chicago on a nightly basis in the post-Michael Jordan era in the Windy City.
Fortunately for Rose, the Bulls franchise has announced intentions to retire his No. 1 jersey, paying respect to the now-37-year-old for all that he did for the team, entertaining the fans of the storied franchise more than a decade after Jordan walked away from the game.
Rose’s NBA career came to an end with the Grizzlies in 2024, having finished with a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP award, three All-Star appearances, and a spot on the All-NBA First Team in 2011.
Like many memorable players over the years, such as Grant Hill, Brandon Roy, Tracy McGrady, and Anfernee Hardaway, Rose is a classic what-if story. Many believed Rose could’ve become a legend in terms of what he may have accomplished had he been able to stay healthy.