Newly retired Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose started the new year and first week of the year by taking his talents to be a florist for one day only on Thursday, opening his flower shop, and handing out free flowers to the thousands who attended. With a line going all around downtown Chicago where the pop-up shop was stationed, the love the city has for their homegrown star was certainly felt.
Those who attended the showing got a meet and greet done with number 1, receiving the flowers and a photo with Rose. This is all apart of a week dedicated to Derrick Rose and his accomplishments in the league and for the city of Chicago it all gets capped off on Saturday as the Bulls celebrate "Derrick Rose Night" at the United Center, the very arena Rose called home for much of his storied career.
D Rose burst into superstardom in 2008 upon his arrival to the NBA and the fans, especially in Chicago, have not let go of their guy ever since. No matter the team, no matter the city, Rose has always been shown respect and held in high regard when returning to the United Center. Despite the injuries and 'what ifs' of his career, Derrick Rose will always be a Chicago legend.
Rose has even graced the cover of SLAM Magazine this month, earning even more respect outside of just his home city. Fans from all over are celebrating this chapter of Rose's life, outside of basketball. It gives him time to be a family man, start projects of his own like 'The Rose Garden', and also rejoice in his accomplishments with the city which treats him adjacent to Micheal Jordan in terms of basketball superstardom.
As a Chicagoan myself, it is a great feeling to get when I see D Rose getting acknowledged by so many for what he has done. In the NBA, as a player, and as a fellow Chicagoan, he represents us in a way that only fellow people from Chicago could understand. Derrick Rose is someone who was not able to get that ring that so many aspire to earn when in the league, but in a sense, in a weird way, he did. He earned the respect that comes with a championship ring by persevering and doing what was needed to continue his career no matter what. Derrick Rose is Chicago.