During the halftime show of the game between the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls, the Bulls prepared a touching tribute in the form of a jersey retirement extravaganza for their former 2011 MVP, Derrick Rose. The night was an emotional one for the Chi-town kid, as the arena buzzed with fervent fans and admirers of Rose.
As the ceremony progressed, Rose’s former teammate and closest off-court buddy, Joakim Noah, took to the stage to say a few words in his honor. Jo’s heartfelt speech nearly brought “Pooh” to tears as he watched his own highlight reels and reflected on his journey before directly addressing the Windy City at the United Center for the final time.
“You always put your city on your back, and you carried that with you. You’re not only the MVP, Pooh. You’re the people’s champ”– Joakim Noah spoke on Rose’s jersey retirement
“You’re not only the MVP. You’re The People’s Champ”
–– Derrick Rose tears up during Joakim Noah’s tribute pic.twitter.com/M4dq0Lw8dO
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 5, 2025
The on-court partnership of Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose has blossomed into a tight-knit friendship off the court since leaving Chicago. From having each other’s backs during countless on-court battles to officiating each other’s wedding ceremonies, their camaraderie has evolved into something akin to brotherhood. The duo will always be remembered as the driving force behind Bulls’ trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011—since 1998.
Derrick Rose‘s jersey getting raised to the rafters along with other Bulls legends like Michael Jordan (23), Scottie Pippen (33), Bob Love (10) and Jerry Sloan (4) is a testament to his abilities a basketball player. His explosiveness at the rim and his ability to make clutch shots under pressure were what set Rose apart as a point guard.
Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose’s unbreakable bond
Before retirement, Derrick Rose decided that it was finally time for him to settle down with his partner in crime. In September of 2023, Rose tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend, Alaina Anderson. Wishes from all over the world poured in for the MVP on his special day. However, fans were left stunned when they discovered that former Bulls Joakim Noah was officiating Rose’s wedding.
Noah spoke to NBC Sports Chicago’s commentating team about the marriage and what it was like being Pooh’s best man
Joakim Noah officiated Derrick Rose’s wedding ❤️🫡 pic.twitter.com/TaCqPSTgLL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 9, 2023
“I’m not gonna lie to you guys I was nervous as hell, I’ve never done that before, but I had to do that for Pooh. Really happy I got to do that.”– Noah joked.
Derrick Rose, on the other hand, recently stepped into the pop-up flower shop business. Before his jersey retirement, he handed out thousands of roses from his outlet in Chicago called “Roses.” He even sat down with ESPN’s Shams Charania for an exclusive interview from his flower shop as the ex-MVP revisited the memory lane.
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