The Bulls beat the Celtics, then lifted Derrick Rose into the rafters. The best part? The crowd stayed and treated it like family business.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls didn’t just honor Derrick Rose. They locked him into franchise history.
After a 106–103 win over the Boston Celtics, the Bulls retired Rose’s No. 1 jersey Saturday night at the United Center. Then the arena shifted from game mode to something deeper. It felt like the whole building knew what time it was.
Rose got emotional during the ceremony. He kept wiping his eyes. Taj Gibson and Luol Deng opened the night, and Rose followed with a speech that hit home. He thanked his mother Brenda, his brothers, former teammates, and a sold-out Chicago crowd. And the crowd gave him something back: most fans stayed in their seats for more than an hour after the game.
Chicago claiming its own
Here’s what made it feel different: the night wasn’t framed like “look what Derrick did.” It was framed like “look what we built together.”
Before the win, Rose said the journey was never just about him. He talked about the city’s energy and how he became a vessel for it. That’s a fancy way of saying: Chicago poured into him, and he poured it right back out on the floor.
Even the weather couldn’t scare people off. ESPN noted temperatures were dropping into the single digits. Still, fans lined up outside the United Center hours early just to get a glimpse.
Inside the arena, every seat had a black T-shirt with Rose’s name and number on it. The Bulls wore the same shirt for warmups. That’s not “promotion.” That’s a city making a statement.
Huerter paid tribute
The ceremony was the headline, but the win set the tone.
With one second left, Kevin Huerter hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer. Afterward, he said he thought about jumping into his teammates’ arms. That was a clear nod to Rose’s famous celebration after his 2015 playoff game-winner against Cleveland.
So yes, the Bulls won. However, it was bigger than one result. It felt like the building wanted a clean ending before the banner went up.
What the jersey retirement means in Bulls history
This is rare air.
Rose became the fifth Bulls player to have his number retired. He joins Jerry Sloan (4), Bob Love (10), Michael Jordan (23), and Scottie Pippen (33). The Bulls also have banners honoring Phil Jackson and Jerry Krause.
That list is basically the Bulls’ museum. Now Rose is in it permanently.
Why Rose’s story hits
Rose’s résumé is easy to remember, but Chicago’s attachment is emotional.
He’s a Chicago native. The Bulls took him No. 1 in 2008. He won Rookie of the Year. He made three All-Star teams. Then in 2011, he became the youngest MVP in NBA history.
And still, the part people cling to isn’t only awards. It’s the era. It’s what it felt like when the Bulls were dangerous again and the city believed every night.
Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf basically said that out loud: even without a championship, fans truly loved that era.
The ceremony details Chicago will remember
The vibes were on purpose.
A Chicago orchestra played the Bulls’ intro song, “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project. Fans chanted “M-V-P” through the night. Several current Bulls players came back out to watch, including Coby White, Josh Giddey, Zach Collins, and rookie Noa Essengue.
The Bulls also played a video tribute with former teammates, Rose’s family and friends, and a list of NBA stars — including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — talking about Rose’s impact.
About 20 former teammates were there. Rose watched the game from a suite with names Bulls fans don’t forget: Joakim Noah, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, plus Gibson and Deng, and coach Tom Thibodeau. Noah said the group gathered the night before, and it ran into the early morning.
And if you want one line that explains Rose the teammate, Gibson gave it. He told the crowd Rose was that guy who looked at you and basically said: I got you.
The last thing Rose wanted to say
Rose said he’s still processing it. He also kept coming back to gratitude. Not just for the banner, but for the connection.
He said it mattered that people “found ways” to come to his games. He described it like a shared vibration between him and the city. That’s why the building stayed. That’s why it didn’t feel like a scripted event.
Chicago didn’t just clap and go home.
They watched a win, then watched their hometown MVP become forever.
