Derrick Rose announced Thursday that he is retiring from the NBA after 16 seasons. The former MVP took out full-page ads in major newspapers from all six cities he played in to make the announcement in the form of a love letter to basketball.

“Thank You, My First Love…,” Rose’s statement began. “You believed in me through the highs and lows, my constant when everything else seemed uncertain. You showed me what love truly meant.”

Over the course of a lengthy, troubled NBA career, Rose earned a glowing reputation among fans for his talent and determination. Between 2008 and 2016, Rose became the new face of the Chicago Bulls and became the team’s biggest name since Michael Jordan. The Chicago native won the MVP award in 2011 and led his hometown team to the Eastern Conference Finals in the same year.

“Derrick Rose will always be a Chicago Bull,” Michael Reinsdorf, Bulls President and CEO, said in a statement. “From day one, Derrick embodied humility in his biggest moments and resilience in the most challenging ones. He was a once-in-a-generation talent who took the league by storm … his impact at such a young age is truly remarkable. His legacy in Chicago is undeniable — he brought this franchise back into contention, won an MVP, and, most importantly, inspired a city that will forever claim him as its own.”

While Rose is often remembered for the astounding success he attained between 2008 and 2012, injuries derailed what many argue could have been a Hall-of-Fame career. After leading the Bulls through the playoffs in 2011, Rose never played more than 70 games in a season for the rest of his career.

In 2016, Rose was famously traded to the New York Knicks. In a vulnerable moment captured on video, the Rose received the news through a phone call and was visibly distraught to be leaving his home. There were obvious bouts of homesickness in the following season, as Rose had consistent issues with New York and suffered yet another season-ending injury.

Even as multiple injuries took their toll and robbed Rose of much of his All-Star ability, he carried on as a solid contributor for the rest of his career. In stints for the Timberwolves and Pistons, he provided consistent points off the bench and under-appreciated defensive play. He even returned to New York in 2021 and performed credibly in a limited capacity.

After one last season for the Memphis Grizzlies, in which he was a likable veteran on a turbulent young team, Rose entered free agency this summer but did not accept any offers to carry on. His retirement announcement will likely be accompanied by a great deal of fanfare, in Chicago as well as many other cities around the league.

“You gave me a gift, our time together, one that I will cherish for the rest of my days,” Rose said in his love letter to basketball. “You told me it’s okay to say goodbye, reassuring me that you’ll always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me.”

NBA Hall of Fame inductee Scottie Pippen accused his former coach, Phil Jackson, of being racist as Pippen doubles down on earlier comments regarding an incident that occurred in the 1994 playoffs.

Pippen was on the Dan Patrick Show when he addressed comments he previously made in an interview with GQ about a playoff game in 1994 between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks.

Pippen famously refused to return to the game with the score tied at 102 and 1.8 seconds left in the game. Pippen was frustrated with Jackson’s decision to draw up a play to give the final shot of the game to a rookie, Toni Kukoč, who ended up scoring the game-winner.

“I felt like it was an opportunity to give (Kukoč) a rise,” Pippen told GQ. “It was a racial move to give him a rise. After all I’ve been through with this organization, now you’re gonna tell me to take the ball out and throw it to Toni Kukoč? You’re insulting me.”

In his interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Pippen made it clear that his opinion has not changed. “Why would Toni, who’s a rookie, get the last-second shot and you put me out of bounds? That’s what I mean racial,” Pippen said.

Dan Patrick proceeded to ask Pippen if he thinks Jackson was a racist, to clarify his thoughts on the perceived racist intent.

“Oh, yeah,” Pippen said. “Do you remember Phil Jackson left the Lakers, went and wrote a book on Kobe Bryant, and then came back and coached him? I mean, who would do that? You name someone in professional sports that would do that.”

“And you’re Jackson, who sits in the locker room and tells the players ‘this is a circle, and everything stays within the circle because that’s what team is about.’ But you as a head coach open it up and now you go out and try to belittle—at that time probably one of the greatest players in the game.”

Pippen was referring to The Last Season, a book published in 2004 after Jackson left the Lakers after winning three championships alongside Kobe Bryant. The book focused on the locker room tension and was critical of Bryant.

Jackson would return to the Lakers and end up winning two more championships with Bryant.

Fred Hoiberg had no desire to answer a question about Isaiah Thomas’s ball-handling following the Chicago Bulls‘ 108-97 road loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Watch: Bulls’ Fred Hoiberg Storms Out of Press Conference After Isaiah Thomas Question

A reporter asked the second-year Bulls coach if he saw the Celtics guard carrying the ball in Wednesday’s Game 5. Boston leads the first-round series 3-2 after losing the first two games against Chicago.

After being asked the question, Hoiberg curtly replied “No” and stormed out of the media conference.

Sports Illustrated’s Ben Golliver shared the moment:

The query was likely made as a follow-up to comments Hoiberg made about Thomas after the Bulls’ Game 4 loss to the Celtics on Sunday. The coach praised the All-Star for his performance, noting how particularly impressive Thomas has played given “everything he’s going through,” a reference to the Celtics star having lost his younger sister Chyna to a deadly car accident. However, Hoiberg also said Thomas’s occasional carrying makes it “impossible” to guard him.

“Let me say this: Isaiah Thomas is a helluva player. An unbelievable competitor. He’s a warrior — everything he’s going through right now, he had a helluva game tonight,” Hoiberg said on Sunday. “But when you’re allowed to discontinue your dribble on every possession, he is impossible to guard. He’s impossible to guard. When you’re able to put your hand underneath the ball, and take two or three steps and put it back down, it’s impossible to guard him in those situations.”

The coach was booed for his remarks before Wednesday’s game in Boston.

The question does seem awkward, yet not entirely surprising or unreasonable given Hoiberg’s statement about Thomas from three days prior.

In another strange NBA Playoff press conference moment on Wednesday, Washington point guard John Wall showed up to his post-game interview wearing a cape after the Wizards defeated the Atlanta Hawks 103-99 in Game 5 at Verizon Center. The Wizards lead the first-round series 3-2.

The Wizards next visit the Hawks for Game 6 Friday night, when the Bulls will host the Celtics.

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 26: Fred Hoiberg Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls reacts during the third quarter of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 26, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.

The NBA season opened last night with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls facing off at the United Center in Chicago, with a very special guest in attendance to witness the game. President Barack Obama was seated courtside for the game with both players and fans in awe of his presence and his desire to witness his hometown team.

Bulls BEAT Cavs In Season Opener

The game itself was due to be a competitive one and it sure was leading up to its expectations in the fourth quarter, and the way the game ended had fans on the edge of their seats. With ten seconds to go, Bulls center Pau Gasol posted up defensively to Cavs star LeBron James and ended up blocking his lay-up attempt leaving 3.6 seconds on the clock. On the next play, an inbounds play intended for James saw Bulls forward Jimmy Butler blocking the pass, thus sealing the Bulls their first victory for the season. “That is how we are going to win every game,” Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said. “It kind of feels good going into every game knowing you have the possibility of winning. You have a chance of winning every game because we are so good and deep.”

The Bulls had been in the works of a new fast-paced offense with new head coach Fred Hoiberg at the helm, but defense played a huge factor in stopping the Cavs. Rose, playing with a mask to protect his fractured left orbital, finished with 18 points while power forward Nikola Mirotić had 19 points and Butler finishing with 17 points of his own. James had a double-double for the night with 25 points and ten rebounds while power forward Kevin Love, who played his first game in six months because of a separated shoulder, had 18 points.

President Obama was very thrilled that his beloved team won while he was in attendance and sees a bright future for the Bulls. “I think it’s very promising,” Obama told TNT. “You’ve got a new coach, he’s opening up the offense a little bit. The question is going to be can they hang on to the defense, with the new offense?”

Both teams will be on the road for their next games tonight with the Cavs visiting the Memphis Grizzlies and the Bulls visiting the Brooklyn Nets.

Photo: CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 27: Pau Gasol #16 of the Chicago Bulls blocks a shot by LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the final 10 seconds during the season opening game at the United Center on October 27, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Cavaliers 97-95.  (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls played host to the Indiana Pacers at the United Center in Chicago last night for an NBA preseason game with the Bulls going on to win the game 103-94 against the Pacers to have their preseason record go on to 3-4 while the Pacers still garner a winning record at 4-2.

Bulls point guard Aaron Brooks led the Bulls scoring with 22 points while five other Bull players, including center Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler all finished with double-digit points as well. Pacers forward Paul George recorded a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds with teammates Monta Ellis and Ian Mahinmi both recording 14 points.

Outside of the preseason game last night, Bulls star player Derrick Rose still has not participated in a full contact practice but is making progress after going through a workout Tuesday afternoon. Rose is dealing with a broken left orbital bone in his eye but Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said he was “very encouraged” by the way Rose has been improving.

The last preseason game for the Bulls will happen this Friday against the Dallas Mavericks in Lincoln, Neb., before their season home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 27.

Photo: Aaron Brooks

The Detroit Pistons took care of business last night in a NBA preseason game against the Chicago Bulls in a 114-91 win at the United Center in Chicago. Point guard Reggie Jackson finished the game with 20 points while forwards Marcus Morris and Reggie Bullock both had 17 points each. Center Andrew Drummond rounded out players with double-digit points with 14 points.

The Bulls had some players with points in double-digits with E’Twaun Moore having team-high 16 points. Aaron Brooks had 13 points and rookie Bobby Portis had 11 points. Taj Gibson (left ankle surgery) made his preseason debut after having left ankle surgery, finishing with four points.

The Bulls are still without star point guard Derrick Rose who had suffered a left orbital fracture in his left eye leaving him out for the past two weeks. He was back on the court for practice Wednesday to do some non-contact activities but his status for the October 27 season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers is still uncertain. The next preseason game for the Bulls will be in Charlotte against the Hornets on Monday.

Photo: CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 14: Spencer Dinwiddie #8 of the Detroit Pistons and E’Twaun Moore #55 of the Chicago Bulls chase a loose ball during a preseason game at the United Center on October 14, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Pistons defeated the Bulls 114-91. Note to User: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)