"I was heartbroken": Derrick Rose's former Bulls teammate Taj Gibson believes 3x NBA All-Star's retirement move 'still a blur'
Heading into the 2024-25 NBA season, former MVP Derrick Rose announced his retirement. The announcement, which came on the heels of the Memphis Grizzlies waiving the veteran guard, sent shockwaves through the NBA community as fans and former teammates poured out tributes for him.
Former Chicago Bull Taj Gibson, who also spent time with Rose in Minnesota and New York, talked about it during the Charlotte Hornets media day on Tuesday. As he explained, he's still in shock and hasn't had a chance to post on social media.
When he pursued a championship alongside Rose in Chicago from 2009-2016, the two formed a strong bond. Then, after Rose's first stint with the New York Knicks, he and Gibson reunited in Minnesota briefly thanks to former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.
The two once again played together for Thibodeau in New York before Rose wound up joining the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2023-24 campaign. After a lot of years alongside each other, Gibson is heartbroken by Rose's retirement.
"Heartbroken," Gibson said. "Still heartbroken. I haven't really talked to many people. I haven't even got a chance to post yet. The last few days has just been a blur. Just staring at the wall, honestly staring at the ceiling sometimes, at times, even when I'm in bed, just trying to gather everything up."
"Because I know him from a mental standpoint, he's one of the toughest guys in the league. So for him to really call it quits, to really be like, 'You know what I'm done,' it kind of brought tears to my eyes."
Taj Gibson opens up on Tom Thibodeau's impact on both him and Derrick Rose
Former Chicago Bulls players like Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah have spoken previously about the intense atmosphere of scrimmages during the Derrick Rose years in Chicago. The sessions were filled with players holding one another accountable as Thibodeau worked to perfect his defensive schemes.
After the Bulls' core was broken up, with Derrick Rose going to New York, Taj Gibson going to Oklahoma City, Jimmy Butler staying in Chicago and Tom Thibodeau joining the Minnesota Timberwolves, many fans believed the group had gone their separate ways for good.
However, when Thibodeau was named president of basketball operations and coach of the Timberwolves, he quickly put the band back together and got his three former players.
As Taj Gibson explained to media members, Thibodeau has left an indelible mark on him and Rose.
"The kind of culture that he's provided for us, the kind of practice atmosphere, just being competitive, and we've been getting that slack, that little slate, knowing that we play a lot, we play really physical, we play hard," Gibson said. "This is the NBA. But, man, I'd be lying. I cried a lot. I shed tears."
While Derrick Rose's career is now over, Thibodeau and the New York Knicks are entering the season as one of the title favorites. On the other hand, Gibson looks to give the Hornets a lift after joining the team on a one-year deal this offseason.