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LeBron James Posts Message to Derrick Rose After Retirement Announcement

Derrick Rose and LeBron James had a lot of battles over their careers.

Farbod Esnaashari

United States guard LeBron James (6) during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena.
United States guard LeBron James (6) during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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Derrick Rose officially announced his retirment on Thursday morning. Rose took to Instagram and uploaded a number of photos and videos to confirm his decision.

Rose played 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging 17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game throughout his career. He played in a total of 723 regular season games and 52 playoff games across those 15 seasons as a professional.

A number of athletes responded to the retirement of Rose, including a certain Los Angeles Lakers star. LeBron James, just days away from his the 22nd training camp of his NBA career, took to Instagram on Thursday morning to congratulate and celebrate Derrick Rose.

In his retirement annoucement on the local newspaper of every city he played in, Derrick Rose had one general message: thank you.

"Thank You, My First Love," Rose said. "You believed in me through the highs and lows, my constant when everything else seemed uncertain. You showed me what love truly meant. You turned the court into my sanctuary, a home where I could express myself freely...

"You gave me a gift, our time together, one that I will cherish for the rest of my days. 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."

In his career, the individual opponent that Rose played against the most was LeBron James. Rose and James played against one another 40 times, with James winning 25 of those 40 matchups. James also went 12-4 against Rose in the playoffs.

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Farbod Esnaashari
FARBOD ESNAASHARI

12-year NBA veteran that's covered the league on Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and ESPN

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