Derrick Rose’s retirement has left a void in Taj Gibson’s life
Taj Gibson shares an emotional reaction to Derrick Rose’s retirement as the iconic player steps away from the NBA.
Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose
The NBA world turned sad when news of Derrick Rose’s retirement from professional basketball flooded the media. Quite like those that fell in love with his game, his decision to step away from the game has especially resonated with his longtime teammate and friend, Taj Gibson, who shared his emotional reaction upon hearing the news.
Derrick Rose, who was the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, and Gibson who was drafted 26th overall in the 2009 draft, were pivotal in the Chicago Bulls’ resurgence during the early 2010s. They formed a powerful duo that led the Bulls to the playoffs four times when healthy. Speaking of the void left by Rose’s retirement, Gibson opened up:
Heartbroken, still heartbroken. I haven’t really talked to many people. I haven’t even gotten a chance to post yet. The last few days have been a blur. Just staring at the wall, honestly… So for him to really call it quits… I cried a lot. I had a lot of shed tears because in this league, to get to this point, you have to put so much sacrifice.
Taj Gibson said during the Charlotte Hornets media day
Taj Gibson says the days since D Rose’s retirement have been “a blur” and he has just been “staring at the wall” 💔 pic.twitter.com/kB22mKxCcs
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 2, 2024
Their bond extended beyond basketball, as they supported each other through both victories and hardships, and it included Rose’s infamous ACL tear which occurred during the 2012 playoffs. Despite suffering subsequent injuries throughout his career, he was able to recover and to return to the court which became an inspiring narrative for fans.
Fans would recall his previous dismissal of retirement rumors and had hoped he’d stage a comeback this season for one last dance. That wasn’t to be as the 2011 MVP finally made it public drawing the curtain to his illustrious career.
Derrick Rose honors Phil Jackson and others with 16 roses of gratitude
When Derrick Rose officially announced his retirement from the NBA, he made sure the moment wasn’t solely about him. According to ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Rose sent bouquets of 16 flowers to individuals who had a significant impact on his career, including Phil Jackson, close friends, and former trainers.
He told me that today he knows he’s going to be getting his flowers, so he wanted to make sure that, pun intended, he was giving out the roses to those who really helped mold him and shape his career. He’s actually mailing out 16 roses to folks like Phil Jackson, his four best friends, his trainers that helped him through the ups and downs.
Malika Andrews disclosed on NBA Today
That wasn’t the end of the plot as he also paid tribute to the cities where he played by taking out full-page ads in local newspapers across Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit, and Memphis. Rose explained that his decision to retire stemmed from a desire to spend more time with his family after years of being on the road.
The fan favorite began his career in 2008 and quickly became the NBA Rookie of the Year. He made history in 2011, when he became the youngest MVP in league history at just 22 years old.
Ubong Archibong
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