A hometown hero and symbol of the city, Derrick Rose’s jersey retirement went beyond basketball. Rose's legacy taps into an emotional vein of the city, one of incredible highs and lows. Rose is a native Chicagoan who joined the Bulls as the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2008. In just his third season, Rose also became the youngest MVP in NBA history and would retire from basketball ahead of the 2024-25 season.
After a record-setting celebration in 2025 when Derrick retired from the NBA, the Bulls returned to make history last season – retiring Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey. The shared Chicago roots created an opportunity to build a celebration that went beyond the arena, honoring his legacy while bringing it back to the community that shaped him. Central to that vision was After School Matters (ASM), a long-time Bulls community partner that supports nearly 20,000 Chicago teens annually through arts, communications and leadership, sports and STEM programming. Rose previously surprised ASM teens when he was a player with a holiday shopping spree and made a $1 million donation that continues to support the organization today.
The objective was to extend a monumental sports moment into a lasting cultural milestone by:
Rooted in Community
As ASM prepared to open a new teen center in Chicago’s Cabrini neighborhood, which included the nonprofit’s first-ever gym, the Bulls saw an opportunity to create a permanent tribute to Rose that would connect his legacy to ASM and inspire future generations. The Bulls’ and Rose’s history with ASM made for a natural partnership.
The unveiling was intentionally done the month leading up to Rose’s jersey retirement to build momentum and root the moment in community.
Creating the Home Court of Dreams
The Bulls partnered with artist Dwight White II and After School Matters Advanced Visual Arts students to develop a Rose-inspired mural for the new gym. White III met with students to explore what inspired them about Chicago, what Rose represented to them and their hopes for the future.
Their ideas inspired “Home Court of Dreams.” The mural includes several details from Rose’s life, including a banner recognizing him as the youngest MVP in NBA history and a flower shop representing Chicago giving its MVP his flowers. Installed above the basketball hoop, the mural was strategically placed and designed to inspire ASM students to realize their ambitious dreams.
The Bulls unveiled the mural at ASM’s new facility in front of Rose, ASM students and special guests. In addition to the mural, students from ASM’s Visual Arts and Welding programs presented over 100 individual art pieces inspired by Rose and even had the chance to share their creative choices with him directly. One student, for example, depicted Rose on a basketball court designed as a chessboard, referencing his love of chess.
From Chicago to Center Stage
The celebration culminated for both the students and Rose at the United Center on Jan. 24, 2026, during Derrick Rose Jersey Retirement Night. The Bulls displayed the individual art pieces from ASM Advanced Visual Arts students in the atrium alongside more than 90 handcrafted metal roses. ASM students walked through the atrium before the game and see their art on display for thousands of fans.
The Bulls also integrated ASM into the on-court jersey retirement celebration as the nonprofit’s Vocal Arts Ensemble performed “Shining Star” with award-winning entertainer Keke Palmer and spoken word artist J. Ivy. Together, the mural, atrium exhibit and on-court performance created a storytelling arc that rooted Derrick Rose’s jersey retirement in the city that raised and supported him. The young Chicago artists inspired the city as they honored all that Rose has accomplished and showcased the potential of Chicago youth.
The Bulls transformed the jersey retirement of hometown hero Derrick Rose into an artistic celebration and cultural moment that extended from the United Center to the city. Each touchpoint connected Rose’s jersey retirement to the Bulls, Chicago and the community.
The mural in ASM’s new gym showed Rose’s legacy he’s leaving behind for the city, the art by ASM Advanced Visual Arts students beautifully portrayed Rose through the eyes of Chicago youth, and ASM Vocal Arts Ensemble’s performance reminded all that kids from Chicago, like Rose, can rise to the occasion when the moment is brightest.
Prior to the new teen center, ASM would have to coordinate with schools, park districts and other entities to secure a space to play. Now, they have one to call their own. This is why it was important for the Bulls to also sponsored the gym renovations in the new facility, including the basketball hoops, bleachers, scoreboard and flooring to support ASM's first-ever gym. These renovations support ASM programming and Chicago youth for years to come.
Across four posts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube, social content generated more than 700,000 impressions and more than 370,000 video views. These results showed that audiences in Chicago and beyond connected with Rose’s story and recognized the importance of giving back to the community amid this historic athletic achievement.
