Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Rose excelled in basketball at Southwestern High School. He attended Southwestern High School in Detroit before enrolling at the University of Michigan. There, he became part of the historic “Fab Five,” a group of freshmen who led Michigan to consecutive NCAA Championship game appearances in 1992 and 1993. 

Rose was drafted 13th overall in the 1994 NBA Draft and enjoyed a 13-year professional career with six teams, most notably the Indiana Pacers. After retiring in 2007, he joined ESPN/ABC as an analyst. His media roles included NBA Countdown, Get Up!, and the popular Jalen & Jacoby show, which he co-hosted until 2022. He was laid off by ESPN in June 2023 as part of a major round of cuts. 

Since leaving ESPN, Rose has remained active in sports media. He has served as a studio and game analyst for NBC Sports’ Big Ten basketball and for CBS/TNT’s March Madness coverage. He has also explored other interests beyond broadcasting; in 2026, he launched the Tubi scripted series South West High, which he co-created and stars in through his Same Page Entertainment label.