Derrick Rose seriously considered retirement last offseason. The Memphis Grizzlies returned to New York to take on his former team last night. The former MVP opened up about leaving the Knicks after three years with the organization.
“Around that time I was still trying to figure out if I still wanted to play, just trying to figure out my route, if I wanted to stay or leave.”
Derrick Rose said after leaving New York
Rose ultimately chose to continue his NBA career as a veteran with the Grizzlies. The Knicks had a great crop of established and young guards that ultimately left Rose without a role last season. This led to the Knicks opting to move forward without the guard.
Rose also compared his position now to NBA legend and late career journeyman, Vince Carter. Carter played for a jaw-dropping 22 years in the NBA. He wound up becoming a veteran leader in the locker room, similar to what Rose is doing now, which helped him remain in the NBA.
“With longevity, that comes with becoming a journeyman. You look at Vince Carter. You look at how many teams he played on, the years he played. It just makes sense.”
Derrick Rose
Whenever Rose does decide to call it a career, he will undeniably be remembered as a legend in the game of basketball. Rose was the youngest MVP in the history of the league at just 22 years of age.
With the Grizzlies being riddled with injuries this year, Rose has found more time on the court. While he isn’t the force of nature that he once was, the 35-year-old is still finding ways to get it done. Rose is currently averaging 8.5 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 19 games played.
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