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.

Source: WFNZ / Radio One Digital
[ione_media_gallery id=”434191″ src=”https://cassiuslife.com/” overlay=”true”]
The Latest:
- Jake Delhomme Previews The Panthers NFL Draft
- Panthers Draft Predictions: Who Will Land With The Panthers At Pick 19?
- Trevor Sikkema Previews the NFL Draft With Mac & Bone
- Josh Norris Previews the NFL Draft on WFNZ
- 10 NFL Draft Myths That Fans Keep Believing (But Are Wrong)
- 10 Players Who Could Surprise in Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft
- The 2026 NFL Draft's 10 Biggest What-Ifs
- Joe Person Previews The NFL Draft For The Panthers
- Charles Barkley Explains How He's Ending Decade-Long Beef With Michael Jordan
- The Fumble: Azzi Fudd's Potential Dallas Drama, Heated NBA Play-In Games, & The Viral 6-Year-Old Coach