Overwhelmed Derrick Rose sheds tear over Bulls retiring his jersey with a catch: "We're adding one more up there"

Derrick Rose holds a special place in the hearts of Chicago fans. Though his highly entertaining stint with the Bulls was marred by major injuries, Rose has one of the most beloved legacies in the Windy City.

The Bulls announced on Sunday they would retire Rose's No. 1 jersey. On their official X account, the Bulls organization released a clip of the moment Rose found out about the news:

In the clip, Bulls CEO and President Michael Reinsdorf expresses gratitude to the former MVP for spending time with fans during Derrick Rose Night on Saturday, before announcing that the team would be retiring his jersey.

"But I'm telling you right now, next year, when we retire your number in the rafters, it's going to be more about you than the fans."

However, Reinsdorf mentioned that the jersey retirement comes with a condition, and one player could still wear Rose's No. 1 jersey.

"I'm just telling you, no one's wearing that No. 1 jersey again unless PJ (Derrick Rose Jr.) is a Bull. Then he's wearing that No. 1 jersey."

Rose turns around, walks away and covers his eyes with his hand. After wiping away his tears and hugging Reinsdorf, he expresses his feelings:

"Let's go! You addin' one more up there."

Rose, affectionately nicknamed "Pooh" by the fans, spent a total of eight seasons in Chicago (including one that he sat out as he recovered from a torn ACL). His accolades during his Bulls stint include 2009 Rookie of the Year, three All-Star nods, one All-NBA First Team selection and 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player.

When Rose's jersey rises to the rafters during the 2025-26 season, he'll become just the fifth Bulls player to receive that honor, following in the footsteps of Jerry Sloan (No. 4) and Bob Love (No. 10), as well as six-time champions Michael Jordan (No. 23) and Scottie Pippen (no. 33).

Derrick Rose doesn't want a statue

While jersey retirement is one of the most popular ways for NBA teams to recognize the legacy of their most cherished figures, massive statues have also been used as a tribute. Rose, however, has voiced his preference against statues.

In a one-on-one interview aired on ESPN's "NBA Today," reporter Shams Charania referenced a proposal from former Bulls player Taj Gibson, suggesting that his former teammate Derrick Rose deserves a statue.

Smiling, Rose replied:

"The way people been creating statues, no. I do not want no statue ... Jerry (Reinsdorf), no statue, bro." (Timestamp: 2:43)

Rose's plea to the longtime Bulls owner is understandable. When the Miami Heat unveiled their statue of Dwyane Wade last October, many within the NBA community went into an uproar upon seeing its likeness — or lack thereof — to the three-time champion.