Derrick Rose Turns to Flowers After NBA Career
CHICAGO — Inside the Vault Gallerie, a garage space-turned-pop-up in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, Derrick Rose fastens himself into a green canvas apron emblazoned with “Rose’s Flower Shop.” Behind him, shelves filled with bouquets of red roses frame his backdrop, while gold-framed stills of him and his family tending to the new business accent the wall. For three hours, Rose mans a wooden console, smiling, laughing, and embracing over 300 people—a remarkable feat for a lifelong introvert.
The children in line, who never witnessed his high-flying basketball prime, shiver under their earmuffs. They were brought by parents who proudly wear everything from Rose’s blue-and-gold Simeon Career Academy jersey to his Chicago Bulls threads, speaking of him in mythical terms. Those wrapped around the building waited at least an hour in cold temperatures for a brief moment inside Rose’s new world—and a chance to pull him back into memory lane.
A Legacy Beyond Basketball
They tear up and grin as they tell Rose how, as a 22-year-old hometown hero, he reignited the fandom that lay dormant in the post-Michael Jordan era. How his heights as an MVP gave them memories to cherish, moments shared with fathers, sisters, and nephews. They still see the baby-faced version of Rose, but Derrick Rose, the MVP, is a distant memory to the man himself—preferably.
The Chicago Bulls will hang Rose’s No. 1 jersey in the United Center rafters on Saturday, a visceral reminder of a chapter he’d like to close. With it, he hopes to take another step into his evolving identity. Inside this pop-up, he’s reminded that his city, prideful about those they root for, might make it impossible to step into his next chapter without glancing backward. But for these three hours, he’s exactly what he said he’d be when signing off from his address to Bulls fans during last January’s Derrick Rose Night: a businessman.
From Courts to Bouquets
When Rose announced his retirement from basketball in the fall of 2024, he took out ads in the local newspapers of cities he’d played in. On this cold afternoon, he flips between metallic gold and bronze Sharpies, numbering preordered bouquets 1 through 300 on commemorative cards. On bouquet No. 114, he cups his hand to form a half heart while posing with a middle-aged woman. He leans atop a wooden stand to record video messages, and No. 182 hands him a rose of his own, wrapped in a black felt veil. No. 209 saw a woman gift him a notebook with Winnie the Pooh on the cover, a nod to Rose’s childhood nickname, “Pooh.”
At one point, he’s so lost in conversation with a family that they both forget why they were there. They walk away without roses. “Flowers!” his assistant yells. “Oh, yeah,” Rose says, turning around for a bouquet. Almost two hours in, Rose builds a small fort of bouquets around a child who can’t decide which to pick. He doesn’t mind. This is the intimacy he craves—a stark contrast to the high-stakes world of professional basketball.
The Challenges of a New Identity
For Rose, the transition isn’t just about changing careers; it’s about redefining himself. The NBA MVP who once electrified the United Center is now a man with dreads that drape past his shoulders, navigating the delicate art of floristry. The city, however, isn’t ready to let go of his basketball legacy. Fans still see the 22-year-old phenom, not the entrepreneur striving to build something new.
“Flowers!” his assistant yells again, snapping him back to the present. Rose smiles, ready to embrace the next person in line. This is his new world, one where he hopes the first impression isn’t the NBA MVP but the man who tends to flowers with the same passion he once brought to the court.
A Final Farewell
As the Bulls prepare to retire his jersey, Rose reflects on a career that saw him rise to the pinnacle of basketball and face the inevitable challenges of injury and time. Now, he’s embracing a life where the pressure is measured in petals, not points. The flower shop is more than a business; it’s a symbol of his journey—rooted in the past, blooming in the present, and looking toward a future beyond the hardwood.
“I want to put basketball behind me, mostly,” Rose says. “But I’ll always be grateful for the memories and the moments.”
The Legacy Lives On
As Rose’s No. 1 jersey ascends to the rafters of the United Center, it will serve as a reminder of a legend. But for Rose, the real legacy is what he builds next. Whether it’s arranging flowers or mentoring young entrepreneurs, he’s determined to leave a mark that extends far beyond the basketball court.
In the meantime, Chicagoans will continue to flock to Rose’s Flower Shop, not just for bouquets but for a glimpse of the man who once soared through the air and now tends to the earth. And in that, Derrick Rose finds his new rhythm—one that’s as vibrant and beautiful as the flowers he now calls his own.
