“A rose can be of many colors, but this Rose will forever be Chicago red.” No phrase suits Derrick Rose better than this one. Yes, he hung his sneakers as a Grizzly, but that heart? It beats for Chicago. It always did, as if it were factory-made on the soil Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen dictated in the 90s. Thus, when he announced his retirement last summer, the Windy City was more heartbroken than Memphis. They loved Pooh; they love Pooh.

On January 4, 2025, Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf looked Derrick in the eye before Derrick Rose Night and dropped the words Chicago had long been waiting for. His jersey will rise into the rafters during the 2025–26 season. The moment cracked him wide open. Tears rolled, memories crashed, and the city felt every beat of his heart as his

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