The All-Star break and NBA trade deadline are both over, and teams are getting acclimated with their new players, who now have to wear new numbers. Such was the case with new Bulls guard Anthony Morrow, who was traded to Chicago from the Thunder this week.
Anthony Morrow apologizes to Bulls fans for wearing Derrick Rose’s old number
Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
At Friday’s game back from the All-Star break, Morrow had No. 1 as his Bulls jersey number — the same number Derrick Rose wore during his time with the team — and that did not sit well with fans, as Rose is still a beloved figure not just with the team, but with Chicago itself.
The backlash was intense enough that Morrow apologized and promised to get a new number assigned to him:
Apparently, the Bulls failed to tell Morrow about the consequences of picking No. 1 as a jersey number in Chicago:
This is not the first time Bulls fans got angry at a new player trying to wear No. 1. Back in October, Michael Carter-Williams wore No. 1 as his jersey number for a preseason game, since that was the number he wore in college. But again, the decision had so much negative feedback from fans that he switched to a No. 7 jersey soon after.
So it looks like until No. 1 gets retired by the team, any new player who tries to wear it will end up feeling the wrath of fans who still feel a connection to Derrick Rose. It’s unfortunate, but understandable, and perhaps the Bulls should do a better job of reminding new players (and themselves) of what No. 1 means to fans before it happens again.
