CHICAGO — Bulls legend Derrick Rose has moved back to Chicago after retiring from pro basketball last year, and he recently dished about what the city means to him to his former teammate Joakim Noah.
Rose shared news of his return to his hometown on the inaugural episode of “Nomad,” a travel podcast starring Noah, also retired.
“I love Chi. I love the good, the bad, the ugly — the fight, the challenge of being from here. … It’s beauty in everything,” Rose told Noah on the podcast.
Rose played for the Bulls from 2008-2016 before being traded to the New York Knicks and bouncing around the league. He played his final NBA season for the Memphis Grizzlies.
A 2023 article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal noted that Rose and his family bought a home in Memphis, something the NBA star had not done in any of the other cities he’d lived in. “He doesn’t plan on ever leaving,” the article headline noted.
Since retiring from the NBA last year, Rose has received an outpouring of love and honors from the Chicago community. The city declared Jan. 4 “Derrick Rose Day” in honor of the former All-Star point guard, Rose had an Englewood garden dedicated to him and the Chicago Bulls announced plans to retire Rose’s jersey on Jan. 24, 2026.
Rose discussed how his move back to Chicago was motivated by him wanting to be present for his three children.
“Since I retired, I had time to really think about what’s the difference between a dad and a father,” Rose said, reflecting on his father’s absence in his life. “I always looked at my pops in the father category because he never was around.”
Rose’s commitment to his children has been shown through various outlets and social media platforms. At a Bulls home game on the evening of his Derrick Rose Day honors, Rose dedicated the occasion to his kids. That week, Rose also played at his alma mater, Simeon Career Academy, alongside his eldest son, Derrick “PJ” Rose Jr.
“With PJ coming here [Chicago], I wanted him to be able to have a pure way to love the game without thinking about an NIL deal or nothing else but getting better and winning,” Rose said.
In a closing monologue on his podcast episode, Noah said seeing Rose “back home back home in his city is a full-circle moment.”
“It brings meaning to this journey,” Noah said. “It reminds me why our brotherhood is so strong.”
Derrick Rose, former Chicago Bulls point guard, played in an alumni and student basketball game at Simeon Career Academy in Chatham on Jan. 3, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
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