With the recent announcement of Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose’s retirement, the floodgates are now open regarding whether he deserves to be in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Debates will run rampant throughout the next three years when Rose will be eligible to be inducted. Other arguments that’ll accompany the Hall of Fame discussion will be whether or not Rose deserves to have his number retired in the United Center by the Chicago Bulls, whether or not he’s earned a spot in the Bulls Ring of Honor, and the most intriguing thought of all, what could have been if injuries didn’t plague his career. After three All-Star nods, one MVP, and one Rookie of the Year award through four seasons, he could never return to his former self following a slew of knee, ankle, and lower body injuries, eventually pushing him to retire. He will end up in the history books, but it might be for the least desired reasons.
100% Of NBA MVP’s Are In The Hall Of Fame
The league’s history has seen 36 different MVP award winners, including 15 players who have won it on multiple occasions. The only ten not currently in the Naismith Hall of Fame are the nine still on an active roster, plus Derrick Rose. It can be argued that a Most Valuable Player award in the NBA is the most prestigious of professional sports due to the five players on a court at a time and each individual having a larger impact on their team and the game than any other sport. While no MVP has ever been left out of the Hall, Rose’s MVP was widely considered a misrepresentation of the league’s top player, who many thought was LeBron James during that 2010-11 campaign, and he doesn’t have any supporting accolades to earn his spot.
Basketball-Reference keeps a fluent list of NBA players and their current probability of being inducted, and based on their metrics, Rose is a lock to miss out. With only three All-Star selections, one MVP, a Rookie of the Year award, and only one Conference Finals appearance, his resume is too weak for basketball immortality.
Bob McAdoo Comparisons
Many are comparing Derrick Rose’s Hall of Fame chances to Bob McAdoo, who similarly won one MVP award and only had four All-Star nods. However, unlike Rose, McAdoo has two NBA Championship rings and three scoring titles while being named to the Association’s Top-75 list in 2021. He also played overseas after his NBA career and won two EuroLeague titles. The 2008 number one overall pick may have been more exciting to watch and had more potential, but McAdoo’s body of work overpowers that of Rose.
As much as Chicago fans would love to see D-Rose inducted into the Hall of Fame, the public perception that he will not earn a spot is unfortunately warranted. Had injuries not been in the mix and the Bulls continued to build around their former MVP, this discussion would have been headed in a different direction. Chicago will likely remain on ice waiting for their next Hall of Fame nominee.
