Derrick Rose making crowd-pleasing change with Grizzlies
Feb 23, 2020; Portland, Oregon, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose (25) looks on as a teammate shoots free throws during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. The Blazers won 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Derrick Rose has been a fan-favorite at nearly all of his basketball stops, and he’s doing something in Memphis that will likely please his fans.
Rose’s wife Alaina shared an Instagram post on Monday that revealed Derrick will be wearing jersey No. 23 with the Grizzlies in the upcoming season. You can see the No. 23 in all the Rose Grizzlies jerseys featured in her post. She also said “23 is back” as part of her caption.
What’s so pleasing about No. 23 for Grizzlies fans? That’s the same number Rose wore during his one-and-done freshman season for the Memphis Tigers in 2007-2008.
Derrick Rose is bringin' back the No. 23 for the Grizzlies 🐻
(via alainataughtyou/IG) pic.twitter.com/N5DGNJ0TPx
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) July 4, 2023
Rose was a star for that team, joining forces with future NBA players Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey and Antonio Anderson to go 38-2 before losing in the national championship game to Kansas. And no, as a UCLA fan, I’m not still bitter that Ben Howland had Darren Collison defend Rose in that Final Four game rather than the more athletic but younger Russell Westbrook. Nope, not at all bitter.
Though he wore No. 23 in college, Rose couldn’t continue to wear that number once he got drafted by the Chicago Bulls for obvious reasons. So Rose wore No. 1 with the Bulls. He wore No. 1 in 2018 with the Cavs as well. Rose wore No. 25 in his first stint with the Knicks, as well as during his Timberwolves and Pistons tenures. The veteran point guard wore No. 4 in his most recent stint with the Knicks.