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There comes a point in every athlete’s career where they have to figure out when to retire. This can be for a variety of reasons. For one an athlete can decide that trying to play baseball in the prime of their career is a smart move. Another option is no team wants to sign them and they are really forced into retirement because there is no job available. Very few actually go out when they are still on top of their game. One example of this though was the retirement of Tim Duncan. He easily could still be playing now even at his age. Unfortunately, there are some athletes that have to call their careers short because of injuries.
Injuries are a part of sports, even if we like to forget they are. At the end of the day we have to realize that professional athletes are human and they may have to think of their own well being above their desire to play a sport. Some athletes never get to this point, even if they should. No one wants to watch a hobbled basketball player no matter how much he or she likes that player. This brings us to the career of Derrick Rose.
Coming out of Memphis in 2008, Rose had all the potential to be one of the best players if not the best player in the NBA. In 2011, he won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. It is easy to say that was the peak of Rose’s career. It has been a sharp downward spiral since. Rose tore his ACL in 2012 during the playoffs and did not return until more than a year later. When he finally did return from the ACL injury in 2013, Rose did not last long. In fact, according to Basketball Reference he only played 10 games before tearing his meniscus in his right knee. To make matters worse on the comeback trail from his knee injury he tore the same meniscus in his right knee again, causing more time off in the 2014-2015 season. Just when you thought things were starting to turn around for Rose, he fractured his left orbital bone in practice with the Bulls. This injury caused Rose to wear a facemask for the majority of the 2015-2016 season. Overall, the career of Derrick Rose has been a bit of a hobbled mess since 2011.
The former MVP has looked slow until this season. This season has been a bit of a struggle for Rose in different ways. Just remember Rose was missing for a day when he decided to just leave and go home to Chicago without any notice. He also is on the Knicks now, that really does not help anyone’s career get back on track. Rose was looking to have turned it around though in New York. Magically, his game was coming back and the burst in each step was something fans have not seen from him since 2011. That all changed when it was released the Derrick Rose tore his meniscus in his left knee.
This is the fourth serious knee injury in Derrick Rose’s career. Basketball is a sport where the knees are very important. How can someone drive to the basket or take a jump shot if they cannot rely on their knees? At what point is it not worth trying to make a comeback? Honestly, Rose should just call it a career. You see football players stop playing because they realize the consequences that playing can lead to in the future. At 28 years old, Rose has made enough money in his career to retire. The thing is he has not won a championship. Basketball players measure success in championships. There is a very slim chance that Rose will retire at the end of this season. He should think about it though. It will not be worth the pain and potential problems in the future, just to make some extra money. The reality is some team will take a chance on Rose, even after the knee injury. The problem is the risk is becoming too great these days for both teams and Rose himself. No one wants to see a 28 year old who should be in the prime of his career struggle with injuries and have to retire. It may be the right call though.