That competitive fire still runs through Derrick Rose.
The 2011 league MVP was in Chicago Thursday afternoon to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in the White Sox’ Opening Day game against the Angels .
Rose threw a strike to home plate and was pleased with his showing. He knows he threw a good pitch because he received some praise from his family. When a cameraman asked him what he thought of the throw, the competitor that took Rose from Simeon to NBA stardom came out.
“What do you think?” Rose playfully asked while carrying his son London. “We talked earlier. For you to ask, you already know.
“For my brothers and them to tell me I did a great job — they’re my hardest critics — so I think I did pretty good.”
Too big, too fast, too strong, too good
An MVP first pitch from D-Rose 🌹 https://t.co/ZvzePiJR2p pic.twitter.com/qAmXf2bjHv
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 27, 2025
Rose was serenaded with MVP chants for old-time’s sake at Rate Field. It’s the second time he’s thrown out the first pitch at Rate Field. The first time happened in June 2008 after he was drafted No. 1 by the Bulls. The three-time All-Star also threw out a first pitch with his oldest son, PJ, in 2016 at Wrigley Field.
“It’s surreal,” Rose said. “It’s always surreal. But I’m a businessman now. And a dad today. Just spending time with him and giving them this time to really take in the moment.”
There’s that phrase again: businessman. Rose ended his speech on “Derrick Rose Night” by declaring that his high-flying MVP days was the “old Pooh.” He seems content with his playing days behind him and eager to venture into the second phase of his life.
It was Rose’s team’s idea to have him throw out the first pitch in anticipation of the flower shop the Chicago native hopes to open.
“It started with us,” Rose said. “We’re doing something as people are all leaving, priming people as far as the flower shop we are opening soon. We wanted to conflate this with the flower shop, so when people leave here, they will be getting roses to tell people the flower shop is coming soon.”
Rose was mum on the projects he’s working on, but he’s confident people will love the flower shop concept. Developing business takes time. Rose can’t jump over or around people and bend things to his will like he could on the basketball court.
“It’s challenging,” Rose said. “But at the same time, you won’t see perfection without imperfection. Developing, going through my ups and downs, suffering through the developing and realizing where I’m at and the projects we are working on is borrowing from people but at the same time putting our own twist on it.”
In his post-retirement life, Rose is more visible than when he was a player. And from his words, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be retreating from the city anytime soon.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Rose said, “but at the same time, I’m loving the moment, from the retirement commercials to the pitch to the flower shop. It’s for everyone to see that I’m trying to manifest something right now and I’m involving my family.”