Chicago’s Own: Reliving The Best Derrick Rose Moments As A Bull

In a few hours, the Chicago Bulls will add one more name to the immortal list. Derrick Rose, who wore number one during his playing days with the franchise, will see his jersey lifted into the rafters at the United Center. After seven seasons with the organization, including six playoff appearances, one Eastern Conference finals bid, one MVP honor, and a Rookie of the Year campaign, Rose’s legacy will live forever amongst greatness. He joins Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan as the only numbers to be retired in Chicago. Before his banner is raised and all the memories from his dominant days with the Bulls are commemorated, let’s revisit his top five moments as a Chicago Bull.

5. NBA Playoff Debut

After having just a 1.7% chance to land the top pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls struck lottery gold and were awarded the top pick, where they’d select the hometown kid, Derrick Rose. After helping clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, he not only showed out on the big stage but also posted a record-setting performance. He would proceed to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for points as a rookie in a playoff debut, with 36. He joined Chris Paul as the only players to ever start their postseason career with a 35-point, 10-assist outing. He’d end the series with a 20/6/5 line as Chicago dropped game seven to Boston and was eliminated from contention. Still, his first performance, and the entire series, proved Rose would be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Derrick Rose's NBA Playoff debut! (2009)

36 PTS
11 AST
4 REB
1 STL
63% FG (12/19)
100% FT (12/12) pic.twitter.com/86Z9A9ZMna

— ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) April 15, 2025

4. Pair Of Buzzer-Beaters

Derrick Rose had several buzzer-beating game-clinching shots over the course of his years in Chicago. While it was tough to narrow it down, two stood out. In 2011, the reigning MVP, Derrick Rose, faced the previous year’s MVP, Kobe Bryant, on Christmas Day. While Rose may have taken the MVP home in 2011, Bryant was still named to the All-NBA First Team and the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team that year, and had just won his fifth NBA title in 2010. This was a marquee matchup on national television, and an instant classic. With under five seconds to go, Chicago’s finest drilled a game-winning bucket to spoil the holidays for Los Angeles.

#Bulls Derrick Rose iconic Christmas Day Game Winner against Kobe’s #Lakers pic.twitter.com/KziXPuHkjx

— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@Bullsfans) July 30, 2023

The second memorable buzzer-beating effort was his final lasting memory in Chicago. In what would be his last playoff victory and last postseason series with the franchise, Rose drilled a prayer from beyond the three-point line, called bank, and the Bulls took a 2-1 series lead over LeBron James and company. This was his final impression on the city and organization that he’d endured so much with throughout his career.

5 years ago, Derrick Rose ends Game 3 against the Cavaliers with one epic shot and celebration: pic.twitter.com/ONOjOZWWRG

— Chicago Bulls Archive (@BullsArchive) May 8, 2020

3. Eastern Conference Finals Appearance

Chicago’s last chance at title contention came in 2011. Rose was fresh off an MVP season, the Bulls had already easily handed the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs, but knew the Miami Heat were the team to beat all along. While they’d fall short and lose the series in six games, it was still the most magical and memorable playoff run since the Jordan era in Chicago.

Derrick Rose dropped 39 pts in game 1 of the 2011 First Round. pic.twitter.com/Bo5TbSmsVR

— ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) June 5, 2020

2. Rookie Of The Year Campaign

As hinted in the number five spot on this list, Derrick Rose had a phenomenal rookie season. He was the third Chicago Bull ever to be named Rookie of the Year, became the first number one overall pick to win the award since 2003, and led the Bulls to the playoffs after missing the postseason in seven of their previous ten seasons. The story had just begun, the hometown hero, drafted first overall, was a bona fide superstar.

Derrick Rose: 2009 Rookie of the Year

16 years ago today: D-Rose received his trophy after averaging 16.8 points & 6.3 assists as a rookie.

Rose is one of three Bulls to win the award (M. Jordan – 1985, E. Brand – 2000) pic.twitter.com/rHvSQTjkxD

— Chicago Bulls Archive (@BullsArchive) April 23, 2025

1. Youngest MVP In NBA History

The best moment for Derrick Rose, born and raised in Chicago, was being named the league’s youngest MVP ever. At 22 years old, he’d done something basketball had never seen before. He also led the Bulls to their single most outstanding season without Michael Jordan. He is the only player in Bulls history to be named MVP outside of Jordan, led the team to their best record outside of the Jordan era, and made the furthest playoff run the team has ever made without His Airness. This was the only time before or after the greatest basketball player of all time set foot in the United Center that the Chicago Bulls stood atop the NBA, with Derrick Rose at the helm, leaving the entire sports world in awe.

12 years ago today #Bulls D Rose became the youngest MVP in #NBA history. pic.twitter.com/8XRNvZpIiS

— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@Bullsfans) May 2, 2023

Tonight, the United Center will be rocking for one of the greatest players ever to wear a Chicago Bulls uniform. The next honor for Rose should be a nod into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.