On Thursday, Derrick Rose announced his retirement from the NBA. A career that started with so much promise and was derailed by injuries is now over. As expected, Rose’s retirement has sparked a debate about his potential Hall of Fame candidacy.
While some argue his natural talent and elite years should warrant consideration, Rose’s body of work falls short of what is required for inclusion.
“You told me it’s okay to say goodbye, reassuring me that you’ll always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me,” said Rose in a heartfelt Instagram post.
While fitting upon retirement, those words are likely words Rose debated saying years ago and multiple times throughout his career when he had to recover from serious injuries.
First, an ACL tear during the 2012 playoffs cost him a year away from the game. Then, a torn meniscus hampered his return in November during the 2013-14 season.
After playing in 81 games as a rookie en route to being named Rookie of the Year and then appearing in the same total a couple of years later when he won MVP, Rose would only be able to participate in 50 or more games seven times throughout the rest of his 15-year NBA career.
Rose fought back onto the court several times and even adjusted his game to continue his career. He swallowed his pride and transformed his game from one of the most entertaining superstars to a role player.
Forever known as a Chicago Bull, Rose would also suit up for the likes of the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies during a stretch that wouldn’t include the fanfare and individual hardware he enjoyed early in his Bulls tenure.
Even though Rose’s career could be made into a movie, it simply doesn’t warrant the highest honor of the Hall of Fame.
Rose’s NBA career averages are 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. These are solid numbers, but a far cry from the 25 points and 7.7 assists per game he registered in his MVP season.
Rose only made the All-Star team three times and any All-NBA team once.
For a player known for his offense, his total averages fall shy of the Hall of Fame bar. Hall of Famers with averages close to Rose’s usually own more trophies, have more All-Star appearances, stand out more on defense, or balance out NBA accomplishments with college and international play success.
Rose will always be known as a Chicago high school legend. He led Memphis to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game and won a couple of Gold Medals on FIBA World Cup teams, but all of that doesn’t tip the scales enough when factoring in his entire basketball career.
If Rose had stayed healthy, his averages would likely have been higher, he would have been an All-Star more often, and he may even have earned the honor of representing his country at the Olympics. The fact remains that he only played in 723 games in the NBA and played in less than 30 games nine times.
Derrick Rose was blessed with a memorable career that basketball fans who watched him at his best will talk about for generations. However, his overall body of work leaves him with an eternal “what if?” regarding the Hall of Fame.
