NEW YORK, June 23 (UPI) -- A new team means new threads and now a new number for point guard Derrick Rose, who was traded to New York Knicks Wednesday.
Rose is reverting back to his high school days by switching to the No. 25 jersey he wore then, before his MVP season and before relentless injuries tore him from the court in Chicago.
🌹 No.25 #Knicks pic.twitter.com/MKoxdc3Oye
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 23, 2016
The No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft wore No. 1 during his eight seasons with the Bulls. Kevin Seraphin currently wears No. 1 for the Knicks. Rose wore No. 25 at Chicago's Simeon High School. He wore No. 23 at Memphis.
"Rose wore it [No. 25] in tribute to the late Ben Wilson, a Simeon standout who was killed in 1984 before his senior season," Chicago's WGN reported.
Following his rookie season, Rose averaged 22.5 points per game in three seasons, before losing a season to injury. He hasn't averaged more than 17.7 points per game since 2011.
Welcome to the #Knicks, @drose. pic.twitter.com/CVQfJfzThK
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 23, 2016