All 76ers

76ers Veteran Salutes Derrick Rose After Big Announcement

After Derrick Rose announced his retirement, 76ers veteran Eric Gordon sent him a message.

Justin Grasso

Oct 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) controls the ball as Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 130-103. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) controls the ball as Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 130-103. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In this story:

As Eric Gordon gears up for his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers, he learned that one of his most notable competitors in the past was calling it a career.

Former Chicago Bulls MVP Derrick Rose has retired from the NBA.

As expected, Rose landed a lot of love from current and former players after making his big announcement. Gordon sent a message to the three-time All-Star on Thursday.

"Congrats to my boy [Derrick Rose],” he wrote on X. “Had an outstanding career. Glad to be part of ya journey since [high school]. All love bro!”

Gordon and Rose entered the NBA around the same time. In the draft where Rose went first-overall to the Bulls, Gordon was taken shortly after as he was selected seventh-overall to the LA Clippers.

It’s safe to say both players carved out solid careers for themselves. While Rose certainly had the biggest rise to prominence, earning Rookie of the Year honors right away and becoming an MVP within his first few seasons, Gordon has been a stellar contributor for his teams as well.

During his first stint with the Clippers, Gordon averaged 18 points on 38 percent shooting from deep. He went to New Orleans for five seasons and produced 15 points per game on 39 percent shooting from three.

Gordon’s stint with the Houston Rockets was his longest and he maintained similar production as his earlier days. In nearly 400 games for the Rockets, Gordon produced 16 points on 36 percent shooting from deep. Over the last two seasons, he had supporting roles in LA and Phoenix. Next year will mark his first opportunity to play for the 76ers.

As for Rose, his next move is unclear. While some players enter spaces close to the game after competing, the former MVP’s plans have not been revealed just yet.

Published
Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

Home/News