Former NBA star Derrick Rose is now retiring after 15 seasons in the league. This after Rose asked to be let out of his contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. After playing just 24 games last season for the Gizzlies and 101 games over the last three seasons with the Knicks and Grizzlies, it isn't all that surprising of an outcome.
However, it marks a disappointing end to a career for someone who was initially on pace to be an elite player for a long time.Rose is nearly 36 years old and has a long history of knee and leg problems but teams might've had an interest in signing him.
That given his track record as a playmaker and after improving as a shooter. Then again, many playoff teams who might have be interested in Rose would have had problems adding him, either due to roster spot limitations or luxury tax and second apron concerns.
Therefore, him opting to call it a career now seems like a wise decision, and even though his career didn't play out the same way that many expected it to, he still had a solid career. Career averages of 17.4 points and 5.2 assists in 723 games aren't exactly draft bust territory.
That being said, after watching Rose at his peak with his speed and athleticism rivaling, if not surpassing, any other point guard in NBA history, it feels like a low-end outcome for career possibilities.
The abrupt end of the Derrick Rose' career is fitting.
With Rose now retired, many have questioned whether he has enough of a resume to make the Basketball Hall of Fame. In short, the answer is probably no. After all, Rose managed only four good seasons. Even then, only three of those years would be of Hall of Fame caliber, and one of those seasons saw him play only 39 games.
That is a frustratingly short peak for a superstar and not enough to rival other Hall of Famers such as Bill Walton, Yao Ming, and Grant Hill, all of whom had longer periods of strong play. While Rose won league MVP, the youngest player ever to do so, won Rookie of the Year, and made three all-star teams, his accolades feel just short of the bare minimum for a Hall of Fame career.
Even with the Basketball Hall of Fame's lax standards, his resume doesn't compare to other borderline candidates. It's unfortunate for a player who otherwise would have qualified had it not been for injuries.