ESPN's Jalen Rose brought to tears in tribute to late mother

‘We Were Supposed To Be A Statistic’ | ESPN’s Jalen Rose brought to tears in tribute to late mother

During NBA Countdown on Mother’s Day, the ESPN crew paid tribute to Jalen Rose’s mother who passed earlier this year.

Rose was overcome with emotions as he was brought to tears as he spoke about his mother.

“This is the first time in my life that I didn’t have my mother or grandmother on Mother’s Day,” Rose said. “It’s been tough, for me and my family, but I’m gonna be strong. I got a lot of people who rely on me, a lot of people who love me, lot of people who believe in me.”

As Rose breaks down his college Maria Taylor walks over to console him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

“She had two kids when she graduated from high school. We were supposed to be a statistic,” Rose said. “It’s really tough, I’m just happy that the name Jalen is going to carry our legacy, carry her legacy.”

Rose’s mother Jeanne Rose passed away in February of lung cancer at the age of 79.

The former NBA player detailed how his mother created the name. “Jalen” is a combination of his father’s name James and maternal uncle Leonard. According to BabyNames.com, she was the creator of the name and it became popular after Rose became a star player at Michigan State.