The most romantic jersey retirement ceremony belongs to the greatest Rose.

It’s uncommon to associate a player’s jersey retirement with the word romantic, except when it comes to Derrick Rose.

A few days before the jersey retirement, Rose was alone at the United Center, sitting with the jersey soon to be raised to the rafters. While the ceremony is usually a celebration with loved ones, this scene showed Rose reminiscing about his career in solitude.

We all know Rose’s personality—introverted, shy, and not very talkative—so this moment gave him a private space. The once roaring arena was now empty except for Rose, who had experienced all the joys and countless heartbreaking moments there.

Rose carries an inherent tragic romanticism. For him, romance and tragedy do not conflict; instead, they make him more genuine and moving. You admire Rose’s unstoppable prime and also grow to love his calm and steady nature after weathering so many storms.

Today, the Bulls are playing the Celtics, longtime rivals. Rose’s first playoff experience was a grueling seven-game first-round series against the Celtics during his rookie season, where he pushed the defending champions to a Game 7. That moment made people realize this number one pick was destined for greatness.

The game even reached a buzzer-beater moment, with Bulls player Hertz ending the match with a three-point shot, a fitting start to Rose’s jersey retirement ceremony.

I knew Rose would cry, but not that he would tear up so early. At first, Noah, Thibodeau, Gibson, and Luol Deng offered their blessings. Rose started crying when Gibson spoke. Luol Deng said, “Those nights we spent together, those pains we endured, are our trophies.”

That Bulls team never advanced beyond the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone the Finals, but they left fans with unforgettable memories. The NBA has never been only about championships; otherwise, Rose’s jersey would never have been retired by the Bulls.

During Rose’s speech, I didn’t expect him to say so much; it seemed like the longest speech of his life. He thanked and paid tribute to his family, former coaches, teammates, colleagues, and the Chicago fans.

When mentioning Thibodeau, Rose said, “I know many people don’t like Thibodeau because when they think of him, they only remember my injuries. But standing here today, I want to say—forget that.”

No great horse succeeds without a trainer who believes in it. Rose’s MVP award was not only due to his undeniable talent but also because Thibodeau trusted him unconditionally. The game in which Rose got injured—he probably shouldn’t have played in the fourth quarter—but ultimately, it was his style that pushed his body to the limit, the result of accumulated wear and tear.

Later, during his confusing time with the Cavaliers, Rose once considered retirement. It was Thibodeau who pulled his protégé back, leading to Rose blossoming again in Minnesota and later becoming the No. 25 in the Big Apple.

As Rose’s child pressed the button, a shower of rose petals fell, and Rose’s No. 1 jersey was officially raised to the rafters. This is the fifth jersey retired by the Bulls; the previous four belong to Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen.

Rose’s Bulls career has now come to a perfect conclusion. Today, Rose runs an online flower shop in Chicago, and before the game, he gifted roses to the current Bulls players. Indeed, who doesn’t love roses?

He began his incredible career with his hometown team, rising to the top at an astonishing pace. This city will forever remember that moment. Now his jersey hangs permanently in this arena, and his name will be remembered by all. To the people here, Rose will always be that MVP.