With Derrick Rose announcing his retirement on Thursday after a 16-year NBA career, it’s time to reflect on the achievements of the 2011 NBA MVP and three-time NBA All-Star.
Over the course of his career, Rose thrilled basketball fans in more than 775 combined regular season and playoff games with his remarkable athleticism, powerful dunks, agile finishes, skilled ball-handling, and clutch shots.
Here are 12 unforgettable games from Rose’s career, presented in chronological order:
On April 18, 2009, during his postseason debut, Rose made history by joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the only rookies in NBA history to score over 35 points and provide over 10 assists in a playoff game. He led the Chicago Bulls to a 105-103 overtime victory against the Boston Celtics, scoring 36 points and dishing out 11 assists.
On January 15, 2010, Rose secured his first of eight game-winning shots in a double-overtime game against the Washington Wizards, scoring 37 points despite initially missing a chance to win at the end of regulation.
On January 22, 2010, Rose showcased his electrifying talent with a memorable two-handed fast-break dunk over Goran Dragic in a game against the Phoenix Suns, where he scored 32 points, helping the Bulls to a 115-104 win.
On May 6, 2011, just days after being named the youngest MVP in NBA history, Rose delivered a standout performance in the East Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring a playoff career-high of 44 points in a victory that put the Bulls ahead 2-1 in the series.
On December 25, 2011, in the opening game of the 2011-12 season against the Los Angeles Lakers, Rose hit a game-winning shot in the closing seconds, leading the Bulls to a crucial win.
On March 7, 2012, with the game tied, Rose made a memorable buzzer-beater jumper to give the Bulls a 106-104 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, despite not having his best shooting night.
On October 31, 2013, Rose marked his return after missing the entire 2012-13 season due to an ACL injury. He won the game for the Bulls against the New York Knicks with a high-arching floater, sealing an 82-81 victory.
On January 27, 2015, during a tense overtime game against the Golden State Warriors, Rose delivered a crucial step-back jumper that helped the Bulls secure a win against the then-league-leading team.
On May 8, 2015, with just three seconds remaining, Rose hit a banked-in three-pointer to give the Bulls a dramatic 98-96 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, securing a 2-1 series lead in the East Semifinals.
On October 31, 2018, Rose had the greatest scoring game of his career, pouring in 50 points in a thrilling win over the Utah Jazz, which included a key block to secure victory.
On January 20, 2019, he scored 29 of his game-high 31 points in the second half, including a last-second jumper to help the Minnesota Timberwolves take down the Phoenix Suns.
Lastly, on December 9, 2019, in his final season with the Detroit Pistons, Rose delivered his last game-winning shot against the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 21 points with 17 of them coming in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.
Derrick Rose leaves behind a legacy of unforgettable moments in NBA history.