Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Known for his fierce
defensive and
rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history". Nicknamed "the Worm", he played for the
Detroit Pistons,
San Antonio Spurs,
Chicago Bulls,
Los Angeles Lakers, and
Dallas Mavericks of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
(NBA). Rodman played at the
small forward
The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronge ...
position in his early years before becoming a
power forward.
He earned
NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times and won the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswrit ...
twice. He also led the NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and won five NBA championships. On April 1, 2011, the Pistons retired Rodman's No. 10 jersey,
and he was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later that year. In October 2021, Rodman was honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all-time by being named to the
NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Rodman experienced an unhappy childhood and was shy and
introverted in his early years. After aborting a suicide attempt in 1993, he reinvented himself as a "bad boy" and became notorious for numerous controversial antics. He repeatedly dyed his hair in artificial colors, had many
piercings and
tattoos, and regularly disrupted games by clashing with opposing players and officials. He famously wore a
wedding dress to promote his 1996 autobiography ''
Bad as I Wanna Be
''Bad As I Wanna Be'' is a 1996 book that is the first autobiography of NBA player Dennis Rodman and was written during the 1995-96 season when Rodman was a part of the Bulls team that went on to win three NBA Championships. Tim Keown was Rodma ...
''. Rodman pursued a high-profile affair with singer
Madonna and was briefly married to actress
Carmen Electra. Rodman also attracted international attention for his visits to
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
and his subsequent befriending of North Korean leader
Kim Jong-un in 2013.
In addition to being a former professional basketball player, Rodman has appeared in
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
. He was a member of the
nWo and fought alongside
Hulk Hogan in the
main event
In sports, a card lists the matches taking place in a title match combat-sport event. Cards include a main event match and the undercard listing the rest of the matches. The undercard may be divided into a midcard and a lower card, according to ...
of two
Bash at the Beach pay-per-views. In professional wrestling, Rodman was the first-ever winner of the
Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament. He had his own TV show, ''
The Rodman World Tour
''The Rodman World Tour'' is an American talk show hosted by athlete Dennis Rodman. It aired on MTV for its 1996 season and had 13 episodes. The show was noted for its odd-ball situations such as Rodman interviewing guests from his bed. Per the ...
'', and had lead roles in the action films ''
Double Team'' (1997) and ''
Simon Sez'' (1999). Both films were critically panned, with the former earning Rodman a triple
Razzie Award. He appeared in several reality TV series and was the winner of the $222,000 main prize of the 2004 edition of ''
Celebrity Mole''.
Early life
Rodman was born in
Trenton, New Jersey, the son of Shirley and Philander Rodman, Jr., an
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
enlisted member, who later fought in the
Vietnam War. When he was young, his father left his family, eventually settling in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.
Rodman has many brothers and sisters: according to his father, he has either 26 or 28 siblings on his father's side. However, Rodman has stated that he is the oldest of a total of 47 children.
After his father left, Shirley took many odd jobs to support the family, up to four at the same time.
In his 1996 biography ''
Bad As I Wanna Be
''Bad As I Wanna Be'' is a 1996 book that is the first autobiography of NBA player Dennis Rodman and was written during the 1995-96 season when Rodman was a part of the Bulls team that went on to win three NBA Championships. Tim Keown was Rodma ...
'', he expresses his feelings for his father: "I haven't seen my father in more than 30 years, so what's there to miss ... I just look at it like this: Some man brought me into this world. That doesn't mean I have a father".
He would not meet his father again until 2012.
Rodman and his two sisters, Debra and Kim,
grew up in the
Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff is a neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, that was formerly a separate town in Dallas County; Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1901. It has since retained a distinct neighborhood identity as one of Dallas' older established neighborhoods.
Oak C ...
section of
Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
, at the time one of the most impoverished areas of the city.
Rodman's mother gave him the nickname "The Worm" for how he wiggles while playing
pinball. Rodman was so attached to his mother that he refused to move when she sent him to a nursery when he was four years old. According to Rodman, his mother was more interested in his two sisters, who were both considered more talented than he was in basketball, and made him a laughingstock whenever he tagged along with them. He felt generally "overwhelmed" by the all-female household.
Debra and Kim would go on to become
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
ns at
Louisiana Tech and
Stephen F. Austin, respectively. Debra won two national titles with the
Lady Techsters.
While attending
South Oak Cliff High School
South Oak Cliff High School (colloquially referred to as SOC, pronounced "sock") is a public secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, United States. South Oak Cliff High School enrolls students in grades 9- 12 and is a p ...
, Rodman was a gym class student of future
Texas A&M basketball coach
Gary Blair
Gary Claude Blair (born August 10, 1945) is a retired women's basketball head coach. He coached for 37 years closing with Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball, who he coached from 2003 until his retirement in 2022. In his 37 years as a collegiate ...
.
Blair coached Rodman's sisters Debra and Kim, winning three state championships.
However, Rodman was not considered an athletic standout. According to Rodman, he was "unable to hit a
layup" and was listed in the high school basketball teams, but was either benched or cut from the squads. Measuring only as a freshman in high school,
he also failed to make the football teams and was "totally devastated".
College career
After finishing high school, Rodman worked as an overnight janitor at
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. He then experienced a sudden growth spurt from to and decided to try basketball again,
despite becoming even more withdrawn because he felt odd in his own body.
A family friend tipped off the head coach of Cooke County College (now
North Central Texas College) in
Gainesville, Texas. In his single semester there, he averaged 17.6 points and 13.3 rebounds, before flunking out due to poor academic performance.
After his short stint in Gainesville, he transferred to
Southeastern Oklahoma State University, an
NAIA school. There, Rodman was a three-time NAIA
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n and led the NAIA in rebounding twice (1985, 1986). In three seasons there (1983–1986), he averaged 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds,
and registered a .637 field goal percentage.
In 1986 he led his team to the NAIA semifinals where he scored 46 points in a single game, while grabbing a tournament-tying record 32 rebounds, as they finished the season with the highest ranking in school history, at No. 3 in the nation. This helped get him invited to the
Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a pre-draft camp for NBA hopefuls, where he won Most Valuable Player honors and caught the attention of the
Detroit Pistons.
During college, Rodman worked at a summer youth basketball camp, where he befriended camper Byrne Rich 13 yrs old at the time, who was shy and withdrawn due to a hunting accident in which he mistakenly shot and killed his best friend. The two became almost inseparable and formed a close bond. Rich invited Rodman to his rural Oklahoma home; at first, Rodman was not well-received by the Riches due to the fact he was 22 years old and black. But the Riches were so grateful to him for bringing their son out of his shell that they were able to set aside their prejudices.
Although Rodman had severe family and personal issues himself, he "adopted" the Riches as his own in 1982 and went from the city life to "driving a tractor and messing with cows".
Though Rodman credited the Riches as his "surrogate family" that helped him through college, as of 2013 he had stopped communicating with the Rich family after Byrne’s mother referred to Rodman as a “n----r.”
Professional basketball career
Detroit Pistons (1986–1993)
Early years and first championship (1986–1989)
Rodman made himself eligible for the
1986 NBA draft. He was drafted by the
Detroit Pistons as the third pick in the second round (27th overall), joining the rugged team of coach
Chuck Daly that was called "Bad Boys" for their hard-nosed approach to basketball. The squad featured
Isiah Thomas and
Joe Dumars at the
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison gu ...
positions,
Adrian Dantley and
Sidney Green at forward, and
center Bill Laimbeer. Bench players who played more than 15 minutes per game were
sixth man Vinnie Johnson and the backup forwards
Rick Mahorn and
John Salley.
Rodman fit well into this ensemble, providing 6.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and some tough defense in 15.0 minutes of playing time per game.
Winning 52 games, the Pistons comfortably entered the
1987 playoffs. They swept the
Washington Bullets and soundly beat the
Atlanta Hawks in five games, but bowed out in seven matches against the archrival
Boston Celtics in what was called one of the physically and mentally toughest series ever. Rodman feuded with Celtics guard
Dennis Johnson and taunted Johnson in the closing seconds when he waved his right hand over his own head. When the Celtics took Game Seven, Johnson went back at Rodman in the last moments of the game and mimicked his taunting gesture.
After the loss, Rodman made headlines by directly accusing Celtics star
Larry Bird of being overrated because he was white: "Larry Bird is overrated in a lot of areas. ... Why does he get so much publicity? Because he's white. You never hear about a black player being the greatest". Although teammate Thomas supported him, he endured harsh criticism, but avoided being called a racist because, according to him, his own girlfriend Anicka "Annie" Bakes was white.
In the following
1987–88 season, Rodman steadily improved his stats, averaging 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds and starting in 32 of 82 regular season games.
The Pistons fought their way into the
1988 NBA Finals, and took a 3–2 lead, but lost in seven games against the
Los Angeles Lakers. In Game Six, the Pistons were down by one point with eight seconds to go; Dumars missed a shot, and Rodman just fell short of an offensive rebound and a putback that could have won the title. In Game Seven, L.A. led by 15 points in the fourth quarter, but Rodman's defense helped cut down the lead to six with 3:52 minutes to go and to two with one minute to go. But then, he fouled
Magic Johnson, who hit a free throw, missed an ill-advised shot with 39 seconds to go, and the Pistons never recovered.
In that year, he and his girlfriend Annie had a daughter they named Alexis.
Rodman remained a bench player during the
1988–89 season, averaging 9.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 27 minutes, yet providing such effective defense that he was voted into the All-Defensive Team, the first of eight times in his career.
He also began seeing more playing time after Adrian Dantley was traded at midseason to Dallas for
Mark Aguirre. In that season, the Pistons finally vanquished their playoffs bane by sweeping the Boston Celtics, then winning in six games versus the
Chicago Bulls—including scoring champion
Michael Jordan—and easily defeating the Lakers 4–0 in the
1989 NBA Finals
The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, and the conclusion of the 1989 NBA Playoffs. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Eastern ...
. Although he was hampered by back spasms, Rodman dominated the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds in Game 3 and providing tough interior defense.
Second championship and rebounding titles (1989–1993)
In the
1989–90 season, Detroit lost perennial defensive forward Rick Mahorn when he was taken by the
Minnesota Timberwolves in that year's
expansion draft and ended up on the
Philadelphia 76ers when the Pistons could not reacquire him. It was feared that the loss of Mahorn – average in talent, but high on hustle and widely considered a vital cog of the "Bad Boys" teams – would diminish the Pistons' spirit, but Rodman seamlessly took over his role.
He went on to win his first big individual accolade. Averaging 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds while starting in the last 43 regular season games, he established himself as the best defensive player in the game; during this period, the Pistons won 59 games, and Rodman was lauded by the NBA "for his defense and rebounding skills, which were unparalleled in the league".
For his feats, he won the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswrit ...
; he also connected on a .595 field goal percentage, best in the league.
In the
1990 playoffs, the Pistons beat the Bulls again, and in the
1990 NBA Finals, Detroit met the
Portland Trail Blazers. Rodman suffered from an injured ankle and was often replaced by Mark Aguirre, but even without his defensive hustle, Detroit beat Portland in five games and claimed their second title.
During the
1990–91 season, Rodman finally established himself as the starting
small forward
The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronge ...
of the Pistons. He played such strong defense that the NBA stated he "could shut down any opposing player, from point guard to center".
After coming off the bench for most of his earlier years, he finally started in 77 of the 82 regular season games, averaged 8.2 points and 12.5 rebounds and won his second Defensive Player of the Year Award.
In the
1991 playoffs, however, the Pistons were swept by the championship-winning Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.
It was in the
1991–92 season where Rodman made a remarkable leap in his rebounding, collecting an astounding 18.7 rebounds per game (1,530 in total), winning his first of seven consecutive rebounding crowns, along with scoring 9.8 points per game, and making his first All-NBA Team.
His 1,530 rebounds (the most since
Wilt Chamberlain's 1,572 in the
1971–1972 season) have never been surpassed since then; the best mark not set by Rodman is by
Kevin Willis, who grabbed 1,258 boards that same season.
Willis lamented that Rodman had an advantage in winning the rebounding title with his lack of offensive responsibilities. In a March 1992 game, Rodman totaled a career high 34 rebounds. However, the aging Pistons were eliminated by the up-and-coming
New York Knicks in the first round of the
1992 playoffs.
Rodman experienced a tough loss when coach Chuck Daly, whom he had admired as a surrogate father, resigned in May; Rodman skipped the preseason camp and was fined $68,000.
The following
1992–93 season was even more tumultuous. Rodman and Annie Bakes, the mother of his daughter Alexis, were divorcing
after a short marriage, an experience which left him traumatized.
The Pistons won only 40 games and missed the
1993 playoffs entirely.
Four years later in his biography ''Bad As I Wanna Be'', Rodman revealed just how far he had fallen. He had driven to The Palace of Auburn Hills in February 1993 late one night carrying a loaded rifle in his truck, debating whether or not he wanted to continue living. Eventually he fell asleep in the truck, where he was found by police who had been called to perform a welfare check on Rodman by a friend. It was in that moment that he had an
epiphany: "I decided that instead
f killing myself
F, or f, is the sixth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabet#Let ...
I was gonna kill the impostor that was leading Dennis Rodman to a place he didn't want to go ... So I just said, 'I'm going to live my life the way I want to live it and be happy doing it.' At that moment I tamed
icmy whole life around. I killed the person I didn't want to be."
The book was later adapted for a TV movie ''Bad As I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story''. Although he had three years and $11.8 million remaining on his contract, Rodman demanded a trade. On October 1, 1993, the Pistons dealt him to the
San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs (1993–1995)
Playoff upset (1993–1994)
In the
1993–94 season, Rodman joined a Spurs team that was built around perennial All-Star center
David Robinson, with a supporting cast of forwards
Dale Ellis,
Willie Anderson and guard
Vinny Del Negro.
On the hardwood, Rodman now was played as a
power forward and won his third straight rebounding title, averaging 17.3 boards per game, along with another All-Defensive Team call-up.
Living up to his promise of killing the "shy imposter" and "being himself" instead, Rodman began to show first signs of unconventional behavior: before the first game, he shaved his hair and dyed it blonde, which was followed up by stints with red, purple, blue hair and a look inspired from the film ''
Demolition Man''.
During the season, he headbutted
Stacey King
Ronald Stacey King (born January 29, 1967) is an American sports announcer and retired National Basketball Association (NBA) center who won three consecutive championships with the Chicago Bulls from 1991 to 1993. King is currently the lead colo ...
and
John Stockton, refused to leave the hardwood once after being ejected, and had a highly publicized two-month affair with
Madonna.
The only player to whom Rodman related was reserve center
Jack Haley, who earned his trust by not being shocked after a visit to a
gay bar.
However, despite a 55-win season, Rodman and the Spurs did not survive the first round of the
1994 playoffs and bowed out against the
Utah Jazz in four games.
Team conflict and shoulder injury (1994–1995)
In the following
1994–95 season, Rodman clashed with the Spurs front office. He was suspended for the first three games, took a leave of absence on November 11, and was suspended again on December 7. He finally returned on December 10 after missing 19 games.
After joining the team, he suffered a shoulder separation in a motorcycle accident, limiting his season to 49 games. Normally, he would not have qualified for any season records for missing so many games, but by grabbing 823 rebounds, he just surpassed the 800-rebound limit for listing players and won his fourth straight rebounding title by averaging 16.8 boards per game and made the All-NBA Team.
The Spurs won 62 games, good enough for the league’s best record.
However, things fell apart in the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
. During the second round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Rodman was suspended for insubordination for sitting on the floor with his shoes off during a timeout. Despite this, the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference Finals against their division rivals, the Houston Rockets. The Rockets had only recorded 47 wins and had to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win their previous series against the Phoenix Suns, but the team was the defending NBA champion and it was thought that Rockets center
Hakeem Olajuwon would have a hard time asserting himself versus Robinson and Rodman, who had both been voted into the NBA All-Defensive Teams.
The Spurs, however, were never able to stop Olajuwon as he averaged 35.3 points per game in the series. Rodman was particularly critical of Spurs coach Bob Hill’s play calling, saying that he coached the playoffs “like we were playing Minnesota in the middle of December” and that his idea that Rodman should assist Robinson, who he accused of freezing up in big moments, in defending Olajuwon was counterproductive because it would force him off his man and leave the Spurs prone to giving up scoring opportunities. He even went off on the organization, including general manager
Gregg Popovich, in the locker room following a game, saying that everything they did “sucked” and that Hill was “a loser”. The Spurs would lose in six games, in a series Rodman said they “could have and SHOULD have” won.
Rodman admitted his frequent transgressions, but asserted that he lived his own life and thus a more honest life than most other people:
I just took the chance to be my own man ... I just said: "If you don't like it, kiss my ass." ... Most people around the country, or around the world, are basically working people who want to be free, who want to be themselves. They look at me and see someone trying to do that ... I'm the guy who's showing people, hey, it's all right to be different. And I think they feel: "Let's go and see this guy entertain us."
Chicago Bulls (1995–1998)
Third championship (1995–1996)
Prior to the
1995–96 season, Rodman was traded to the
Chicago Bulls of perennial scoring champion
Michael Jordan for center
Will Perdue to fill a large void at power forward left by
Horace Grant
Horace Junior Grant Sr. (born July 4, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for Michael Reinsdorf, the president and chief operating officer of the Chicago Bulls. He attended and played college baske ...
, who left the Bulls prior to the 1994–95 season.
Given Rodman could not use the 10 jersey as the Bulls had retired it for
Bob Love, and the NBA denied him the reversion 01, Rodman instead picked the number 91, whose digits add up to 10. Although the trade for the already 34-year-old and volatile Rodman was considered a gamble at that time,
the power forward quickly adapted to his new environment, helped by the fact that his best friend Jack Haley was also traded to the Bulls. Under coach
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 a ...
, he averaged 5.5 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, winning yet another rebounding title, and was part of the great Bulls team that won 72 of 82 regular season games, an NBA record at the time.
About playing next to the iconic Jordan and co-star
Scottie Pippen, Rodman said:
On the court, me and Michael are pretty calm and we can handle conversation. But as far as our lives go, I think he is moving in one direction and I'm going in the other. I mean, he's goin' north, I'm goin' south. And then you've got Scottie Pippen right in the middle. He's sort of the equator.
Although struggling with calf problems early in the season, Rodman grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times and had his first
triple-double against the
Philadelphia 76ers on January 16, 1996 scoring 10 points and adding 21 rebounds and 10 assists; by playing his trademark tough defense, he joined Jordan and Pippen in the All-NBA Defense First Team. Ever controversial, Rodman made negative headlines after a
head butt of referee Ted Bernhardt during a game in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
on March 16, 1996; he was suspended for six games and fined $20,000, a punishment that was criticized as too lenient by the local press.
In the
1996 playoffs, Rodman scored 7.5 points and grabbed 13.7 rebounds per game and had a large part in the six-game victory against the
Seattle SuperSonics in the
1996 NBA Finals
The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1995–96 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics (64–18) played the Eastern Co ...
: in Game Two at home in the Bulls'
United Center
United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is name ...
, he grabbed 20 rebounds, among them a record-tying 11 offensive boards, and in Game Six, again at the United Center, the power forward secured 19 rebounds and again 11 offensive boards, scored five points in a decisive 12–2 Bulls run, unnerved opposing power forward
Shawn Kemp and caused Seattle coach
George Karl to say: "As you evaluate the series, Dennis Rodman won two basketball games. We controlled Dennis Rodman for four games. But Game 2 and tonight, he was the reason they were successful."
His two games with 11 offensive rebounds each tied the NBA Finals record of
Elvin Hayes.
Suspensions and fourth championship (1996–1997)
In the
1996–97 season, Rodman won his sixth rebounding title in a row with 16.7 boards per game, along with 5.7 points per game, but failed to rank another All-Defensive Team call-up.
However, he made more headlines for his notorious behavior. On January 15, 1997, he was involved in an incident during a game against the
Minnesota Timberwolves. After tripping over cameraman Eugene Amos, Rodman kicked Amos in the groin. Though he was not assessed a
technical foul
In basketball, a technical foul (colloquially known as a "T" or a "tech") is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between opposing players on the court, or is a foul by a ...
at the time, he ultimately paid Amos a $200,000 settlement, and the league suspended Rodman for 11 games without pay. Thus, he effectively lost $1 million. Missing another three games to suspensions, often getting technical fouls early in games
and missing an additional 13 matches due to knee problems, Rodman was not as effective in the
1997 playoffs, in which the Bulls reached the
1997 NBA Finals against the
Utah Jazz. He struggled to slow down Jazz power forward
Karl Malone, but did his share to complete the six-game Bulls victory.
Fifth ring and Finals controversy (1997–1999)
The regular season of the
1997–98 season ended with Rodman winning his seventh consecutive rebounding title with 15.0 boards per game, along with 4.7 points per game.
He grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times, among them a 29-board outburst against the
Atlanta Hawks and 15 offensive boards (along with ten defensive) versus the
Los Angeles Clippers.
Led by the aging Jordan and Rodman (respectively 35 and 37 years old), the Bulls reached the
1998 NBA Finals
The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1998 playoffs of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the conclusion of the 1997–98 NBA season. The two-time defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls ...
, again versus the Jazz. After playing strong defense on Malone in the first three games,
he caused major consternation when he left his team prior to Game Four to go wrestling with
Hulk Hogan. He was fined $20,000, but it was not even ten percent of what he earned with this stint.
However, Rodman's on-court performance remained top-notch, again shutting down Malone in Game Four until the latter scored 39 points in a Jazz Game Five win, bringing the series to 3–2 from the Bulls perspective. In Game Six, Jordan hit the decisive basket after a memorable drive on Jazz forward
Bryon Russell
Bryon Demetrise Russell (born December 31, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. During a National Basketball Association (NBA) career that spanned from 1993 to 2006, he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and ...
, the Bulls won their third title in a row and Rodman his fifth ring.
Rodman garnered as much publicity for his public antics. He dated
Madonna and claimed she tried to conceive a child with him.
Shortly after, Rodman famously wore a
wedding dress to promote his autobiography ''Bad As I Wanna Be'', claiming that he was
bisexual and that he was marrying himself.
After the
1997–98 season, the Bulls started a massive rebuilding phase, largely at the behest of then-general manager
Jerry Krause
Jerome Richard Krause (April 6, 1939 – March 21, 2017) was an American sports scout and executive who was the general manager of the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1985 to 2003.
His tenure with the Bull ...
. Head coach
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 a ...
and several members of the team left via
free agency or retirement, including
Michael Jordan,
Scottie Pippen,
Steve Kerr, and
Jud Buechler
Jud may refer to:
People People with the surname
* Leo Jud (1482–1542), Swiss reformer
* Jakob Jud (1882–1952), Swiss linguist People with the nickname or given name
* Jud Birchall (1855–1887), American baseball player
* Jud Birza (born 198 ...
.
Rodman was released by the Bulls on January 21, 1999, before the start of the lockout-shortened
1998–99 season.
Los Angeles Lakers (1999)
With his sister acting as his agent at the time, Rodman joined the
Los Angeles Lakers, for a pro-rated salary for the remainder of the 1998–1999 season. With the Lakers he played in only 23 games, in which he started in 11 of them and averaged 2 points and 11 rebounds per game, and was released in the offseason.
Dallas Mavericks (2000)
In the
1999–2000 season, the then-38-year-old power forward Rodman was signed by the
Dallas Mavericks, returning Rodman to his hometown. Dallas had won 10 of 13 before his arrival, but went just 4–9 until he was waived by the Mavericks. He played 12 games, received six technical fouls, was ejected twice, and served a one-game suspension.
While averaging 14.3 rebounds per game, above his career average of 13.1, Rodman alienated the franchise with his erratic behavior and did not provide leadership to a team trying to qualify for their first playoffs in 10 years.
Dallas guard
Steve Nash commented that Rodman "never wanted to be
Maverick and therefore was unmotivated.
Long Beach Jam (2003–2004)
After his NBA career, Rodman took a long break from basketball and concentrated on his film career and on wrestling.
After a longer hiatus, Rodman returned to play basketball for the
Long Beach Jam of the newly formed
American Basketball Association during the 2003–04 season, with hopes of being called up to the NBA midseason.
While he did not get that wish that season, he did help the Jam win the ABA championship in their inaugural season.
Fuerza Regia (2004)
Rodman also played in Mexico, with
Fuerza Regia in 2004.
Orange County Crush (2004–2005)
In the following 2004–05 season, Rodman signed with the ABA's
Orange County Crush
Buzz may refer to:
People
*Buzz (nickname), a list of people
* J. Buzz Von Ornsteiner (born 1967; aka ''Dr. Buzz''), American forensic psychologist and journalist
Fictional characters
*Buzz, a character in the 1987 American comedy movie '' Rev ...
Tijuana Dragons (2005–2006)
Rodman played the following season with the ABA's
.
In November 2005, he played one match for
Torpan Pojat of Finland's basketball league,
Korisliiga
The Korisliiga is the top-tier professional basketball league in Finland, comprising the top 12 teams of the country. In its current format, each team plays all other teams two times in the regular season, once at home and once away, for a total ...
.
Brighton Bears (2006)
The return to the NBA never materialized, but on January 26, 2006, it was announced that Rodman had signed a one-game "experiment" deal for the
UK basketball team
Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears was a British basketball team based in Brighton, Sussex. From 1984 to 1999 the club was known as the Worthing Bears and was based in the town of Worthing, 12 miles west of Brighton. The Bears played in the top-flight British Bas ...
of the
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
to play
Guildford Heat
The Surrey Scorchers are an English professional basketball team based in Guildford, Surrey, that compete in the British Basketball League.
The team was established in 2005 as the Guildford Heat by fans of former British Basketball League team ...
on January 28 and went on to play three games for the Bears.
In spring 2006, he played two exhibition games in the Philippines along with NBA ex-stars
Darryl Dawkins,
Kevin Willis,
Calvin Murphy,
Otis Birdsong and
Alex English
Alexander English (born January 5, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and businessman.
A South Carolina native, English played college basketball at the University of South Carolina. He was drafted in the second ...
. On April 27, they defeated a team of former
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...
stars in
Mandaue City,
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...
and Rodman scored five points and grabbed 18 rebounds. On May 1, 2006, Rodman's team played their second game and lost to the
Philippine national basketball team 110–102 at the
Araneta Coliseum
The Araneta Coliseum, also currently known by naming rights sponsorship as Smart Araneta Coliseum, is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena that is part of the Araneta City in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines. Nicknamed as "the Big ...
, where he scored three points and recorded 16 rebounds.
On April 4, 2011, it was announced that Rodman would be inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 77 , , 1 , , 15.0 , , .545 , , .000 , , .587 , , 4.3 , , .7 , , .5 , , .6 , , 6.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 82 , , 32 , , 26.2 , , .561 , , .294 , , .535 , , 8.7 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , .5 , , 11.6
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", †
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 8 , , 26.9 , , style="background:#cfecec;", .595* , , .231 , , .626 , , 9.4 , , 1.2 , , .7 , , .9 , , 9.0
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", †
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 43 , , 29.0 , , .581 , , .111 , , .654 , , 9.7 , , .9 , , .6 , , .7 , , 8.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 77 , , 33.5 , , .493 , , .200 , , .631 , , 12.5 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , .7 , , 8.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 82 , , 80 , , 40.3 , , .539 , , .317 , , .600 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 18.7* , , 2.3 , , .8 , , .9 , , 9.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 62 , , 55 , , 38.9 , , .427 , , .205 , , .534 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 18.3* , , 1.6 , , .8 , , .7 , , 7.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_ ...
, 79 , , 51 , , 37.8 , , .534 , , .208 , , .520 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 17.3* , , 2.3 , , .7 , , .4 , , 4.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_ ...
, 49 , , 26 , , 32.0 , , .571 , , .000 , , .676 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 16.8* , , 2.0 , , .6 , , .5 , , 7.1
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", †
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 64 , , 57 , , 32.6 , , .480 , , .111 , , .528 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 14.9* , , 2.5 , , .6 , , .4 , , 5.5
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", †
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 55 , , 54 , , 35.4 , , .448 , , .263 , , .568 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 16.1* , , 3.1 , , .6 , , .3 , , 5.7
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", †
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 80 , , 66 , , 35.7 , , .431 , , .174 , , .550 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 15.0* , , 2.9 , , .6 , , .2 , , 4.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
L.A. Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, 23 , , 11 , , 28.6 , , .348 , , .000 , , .436 , , 11.2 , , 1.3 , , .4 , , .5 , , 2.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
, 12 , , 12 , , 32.4 , , .387 , , .000 , , .714 , , 14.3 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , .1 , , 2.8
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 911 , , 573 , , 31.7 , , .521 , , .231 , , .584 , , 13.1 , , 1.8 , , .7 , , .6 , , 7.3
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star
, 2 , , 0 , , 18.0 , , .364 , , — , , — , , 8.5 , , .5 , , .5 , , .5 , , 4.0
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1987
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 15 , , 0 , , 16.3 , , .541 , , , , .563 , , 4.7 , , .2 , , .4 , , 1.1 , , 6.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1988
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 23 , , 0 , , 20.6 , , .522 , , .000 , , .407 , , 5.9 , , .9 , , .6 , , .6 , , 7.1
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
†
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 17 , , 0 , , 24.1 , , .529 , , .000 , , .686 , , 10.0 , , .9 , , .4 , , .7 , , 5.8
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...
†
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 19 , , 17 , , 29.5 , , .568 , , , , .514 , , 8.5 , , .9 , , .5 , , .7 , , 6.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1991
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 15 , , 14 , , 33.0 , , .451 , , .222 , , .417 , , 11.8 , , .9 , , .7 , , .7 , , 6.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1992
, style="text-align:left;",
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 31.2 , , .593 , , .000 , , .500 , , 10.2 , , 1.8 , , .8 , , .4 , , 7.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nels ...
, style="text-align:left;",
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_ ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 38.0 , , .500 , , .000 , , .167 , , 16.0 , , .7 , , 2.0 , , 1.3 , , 8.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1995
, style="text-align:left;",
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_ ...
, 14 , , 12 , , 32.8 , , .542 , , .000 , , .571 , , 14.8 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , .0 , , 8.9
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
1996†
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 18 , , 15 , , 34.4 , , .485 , , , , .593 , , 13.7 , , 2.1 , , .8 , , .4 , , 7.5
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
†
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 19 , , 14 , , 28.2 , , .370 , , .250 , , .577 , , 8.4 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , .2 , , 4.2
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
1998†
, style="text-align:left;",
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 21 , , 9 , , 34.4 , , .371 , , .250 , , .605 , , 11.8 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , .6 , , 4.9
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 169 , , 89 , , 28.3 , , .490 , , .149 , , .540 , , 9.9 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , .6 , , 6.4
Awards, records, and achievements
Legacy in basketball
From the beginning of his career, Rodman was known for his defensive hustle, which was later accompanied by his rebounding prowess. In Detroit, he was mainly played as a
small forward
The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronge ...
, and his usual assignment was to neutralize the opponent's best player; Rodman was so versatile that he could guard centers, forwards, or guards equally well
and won two
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswrit ...
s. From 1991 on, he established himself as one of the best rebounders of all time, averaging at least 15 rebounds per game in six of the next seven years.
Playing
power forward as member of the Spurs and the Bulls, he had a historical outburst in the
1996 NBA Finals
The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1995–96 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics (64–18) played the Eastern Co ...
: he twice snared 11 offensive rebounds, equalling an all-time NBA record. In addition, he had a career-high 34-rebound game on March 4, 1992.
Rodman's rebounding prowess with Detroit and San Antonio was also aided by his decreased attention to defensive positioning and helping teammates on defense.
Daly said Rodman was selfish about rebounding, but deemed him a hard worker and coachable.
Rodman's defensive intensity returned while with Chicago.
On offense, Rodman's output was mediocre. He averaged 11.6 points per game in his second season, but his average steadily dropped: in the three championship seasons with the Bulls, he averaged five points per game and connected on less than half of his field goal attempts.
His free throw shooting (lifetime average: .584) was considered a big liability: on December 29, 1997,
Bubba Wells
Charles Richard "Bubba" Wells Jr. (born July 26, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former player. He played college basketball for Austin Peay State University and later professionally, including for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA and Da ...
of the
Dallas Mavericks committed six intentional fouls against him in only three minutes, setting the record for the fastest foul out in NBA history. The intention was to force him to attempt free throws, which in theory would mean frequent misses and easy ball possession without giving up too many points. However, this plan backfired, as Rodman hit 9 of the 12 attempts. This was Dallas coach
Don Nelson's early version of what would later develop into the famous "
Hack-a-Shaq" method that would be implemented against
Shaquille O'Neal,
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard II (born December 8, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League. He is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team m ...
, and other poor free throw shooters.
In 14 NBA seasons, Rodman played in 911 games, scored 6,683 points, and grabbed 11,954 rebounds, translating to 7.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game in only 31.7 minutes played per game.
NBA.com lauds Rodman as "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history and one of the most recognized athletes in the world" but adds "enigmatic and individualistic, Rodman has caught the public eye for his ever-changing hair color, tattoos and, unorthodox lifestyle".
On the hardwood, he was recognized as one of the most successful defensive players ever, winning the NBA championship five times in six NBA Finals appearances (1989, 1990, 1996–1998; only loss 1988), being crowned
NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice (1990–1991) and making seven NBA All-Defensive First Teams (1989–1993, 1995–1996) and NBA All-Defensive Second Teams (1994). He additionally made two All-NBA Third Teams (1992, 1995), two NBA All-Star Teams (1990, 1992) and won seven straight rebounding crowns (1992–1998) and finally led the league once in field goal percentage (1989).
Rodman was recognized as the prototype bizarre player, stunning basketball fans with his artificial hair colors, numerous tattoos and body piercings, multiple verbal and physical assaults on officials, frequent ejections, and his tumultuous private life.
He was ranked No. 48 on the 2009 revision of ''
SLAM Magazine''s Top 50 Players of All-Time.
Metta World Peace played one year with the 91 jersey number in homage to Rodman, who he described as a player who he liked "on the court as a hustler, not when he kicked the cameraman."
Spurs rookie
Jeremy Sochan
Jeremy Juliusz Sochan (; born May 20, 2003) is a Polish-American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also a member of Poland men's national basketball team. He played col ...
takes inspiration from Rodman, wearing his former number 10 and frequently seen having the same bleached hair that rodman was known for.
Professional wrestling career
World Championship Wrestling (1997–1999)
Rodman took up his hobby of professional wrestling seriously and appeared on the edition of March 10 of ''
Monday Nitro
''WCW Monday Nitro'', also known as ''WCW Nitro'' or simply ''Nitro'', is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and broadcast weekly every Monday night on TNT in the United ...
'' with his friend
Hollywood Hulk Hogan in
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nati ...
(WCW). At the March 1997
Uncensored event, he appeared as a member of the
nWo. His first match was at the July 1997
Bash at the Beach event, where he teamed with Hogan in a loss to
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell Pfohl (born June 2, 1958), better known by the ring name Lex Luger, is an American retired professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and football player. In 2011 he began working with WWE on its wellness policy. He is best known for h ...
and
The Giant.
At the August 1997
Road Wild event, Rodman appeared as the Impostor
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-earth ...
hitting Luger with a baseball bat to help Hogan win the
WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
After the
1997–98 season, where Rodman and the
Chicago Bulls defeated
Karl Malone and the
Utah Jazz in the
1998 NBA Finals
The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1998 playoffs of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the conclusion of the 1997–98 NBA season. The two-time defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls ...
, Rodman and Malone squared off again, this time in a tag team match at the July 1998
Bash at the Beach event. He fought alongside
Hulk Hogan, and Malone tagged along with
Diamond Dallas Page. In a poorly received match, the two power forwards exchanged "rudimentary headlocks, slams and clotheslines" for 23 minutes. Rodman bested Malone again as he and Hogan picked up the win.
Rodman returned to
WCW in 1999 and feuded with
Randy Savage. This culminated in a match at
Road Wild which Rodman lost.
i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling and retirement (2000)
On July 30, 2000, Rodman competed on the
i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling
i-Generation Wrestling Superstars of Wrestling was a small series of professional wrestling shows in 2000. The roster consisted of wrestlers who had previously achieved fame in other promotions. The tour promoted a World Championship, an Internat ...
pay-per-view event. He fought against i-Generation champion
Curt Hennig in an
Australian Outback match; Hennig won the match by disqualification. Following the match, Rodman refrained from wrestling at the top level and retired.
Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling (2008)
Rodman came out of retirement to appear as a contestant on ''
Hulk Hogan's
Celebrity Championship Wrestling'', broadcast on
CMT. Rodman was the winner of the series, defeating other challengers such as
Butterbean and
Dustin Diamond.
Championships and accomplishments
*
Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling
** Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament
Media appearances
In 1995, Rodman appeared as himself in an episode of the
CBS situation comedy ''
Double Rush
''Double Rush'' is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from January 4 to April 12, 1995. The series stars Robert Pastorelli as the manager of a bicycle messenger service in New York City.McNeil, Alex, ''Total Television: The Comprehens ...
''.
In 1996, Rodman had his own MTV reality talk show called ''
The Rodman World Tour
''The Rodman World Tour'' is an American talk show hosted by athlete Dennis Rodman. It aired on MTV for its 1996 season and had 13 episodes. The show was noted for its odd-ball situations such as Rodman interviewing guests from his bed. Per the ...
'', which featured him in a series of odd-ball situations. That same year, Rodman had two appearances in releases by rock band
Pearl Jam. A Polaroid picture of Rodman's eyeball is on the cover of the album ''
No Code
''No Code'' is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996 through Epic Records. Following a troubled tour for its previous album, ''Vitalogy'' (1994), in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much-publicized ...
'', and "Black, Red, Yellow", B-side of its lead single "
Hail, Hail
"Hail, Hail" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by guitarist Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and guitarist Mike McCready. "Hail, Hail" was released in Octobe ...
", was written about Rodman and has him contribute a voice message.
A year later, he made his feature film debut in the action film ''
Double Team'' alongside
Jean-Claude Van Damme and
Mickey Rourke. The film was critically panned and his performance earned him three
Golden Raspberry Award
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy ...
s: Worst New Star, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Couple (shared with Van Damme). Rodman starred in ''
Simon Sez'', a 1999 action/comedy and co-starred with
Tom Berenger in a 2000 action film about skydiving titled ''
Cutaway''.
In 1998, he joined the cast of the syndicated TV show ''
Special Ops Force'', playing 'Deke' Reynolds, a flamboyant but skilled ex-Army helo pilot and demolitions expert.
In 2005, Rodman became the first man to pose naked for
PETA's advertisement campaign "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur". That same year, Rodman traveled to Finland, at first, he was present at
Sonkajärvi
Sonkajärvi (; formerly known as ''Rutakko'') is a municipality of Finland. It is located in Northern Savonia region, north of Kuopio. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density ...
in July in a
wife-carrying
Wife carrying ( fi, eukonkanto or akankanto, et, naisekandmine, sv, kärringkånk) is a contest in which male competitors race while each carrying a female partner. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle tra ...
contest. However, he resigned from the contest due to health problems. Also in 2005, Rodman published his second autobiography, ''I Should Be Dead By Now''; he promoted the book by sitting in a
coffin.
Rodman became Commissioner of the
Lingerie Football League in 2005.
Since his initial entry into acting, he has appeared in few acting roles outside of playing himself. Rodman has made an appearance in an episode of ''
3rd Rock from the Sun'' playing the character of himself, except being a fellow alien with the Solomon family.
He voiced an animated version of himself in the ''
Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, a ...
'' episode "
Treehouse of Horror XVI
"Treehouse of Horror XVI" is the fourth episode of the seventeenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 6, 2005. In the sixteenth annual ''Treehouse ...
".
Rodman has also appeared in several reality shows: in January 2006, Rodman appeared on the
fourth version of ''
Celebrity Big Brother'' in the UK, and on July 26, 2006, in the UK series ''
Love Island Love Island may refer to:
Film
* ''Love Island'' (1952 film), an American film directed by Adam Lloyd starring Todd Wathen and Eva Gabor
* ''Love Island'' (2014 film), directed by Jasmila Žbanić
Music
* ''Love Island'' (album), a 1978 album ...
'' as a houseguest contracted to stay for a week.
Finally, he appeared on the show ''
Celebrity Mole'' on ABC. He wound up winning the $222,000 grand prize.
In 2008, Rodman joined as a spokesman for a sports website OPENSports.com, the brainchild of
Mike Levy
Mike Levy is an internet entrepreneur and the current chairman and CEO of Maxxpoint Corporation. Prior to Maxxpoint Mr. Levy was Founder and CEO of OPEN Sports. a new edge Sports Internet Company. Prior to OPEN Sports, Levy was the founder and ...
, founder and former CEO of
CBS Sportsline.com. Rodman also writes a blog and occasionally answers members' questions for OPEN Sports.
In 2009, he appeared as a contestant on ''
Celebrity Apprentice''. Throughout the season, each celebrity raised money for a charity of their choice; Rodman selected the
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a national association in the United States that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children. CASA are volunteers from the community who complete training that has ...
s of
. He was the fifth contestant eliminated, on March 29, 2009.
In 2013, he appeared again as a contestant on ''
Celebrity Apprentice''. He raised $20,000 for the
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in the United States that helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of and 18 years old.
Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 and headquart ...
and was the sixth contestant eliminated, on April 7, 2013.
In March 2013, Rodman arrived at the
Vatican City
Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—'
* german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ')
* pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—'
* pt, Cidade do Vati ...
during voting in the
papal conclave for the selection of a new pope.
The trip was organized by an Irish gambling company.
In July 2013, Rodman joined Premier Brands to launch and promote Bad Boy Vodka.
Rodman's visits to North Korea were depicted in the 2015 documentary film ''
Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang
''Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang'' is a 2015 documentary film produced and directed by Colin Offland, written by Matthew Baker, and narrated by Matt Cooper. The film follows retired professional basketball player Dennis Rodman on his mi ...
''.
In 2017, Rodman was featured on the alternative R&B/hip-hop duo
Mansionz
Mansionz (stylized as mansionz) is an American alternative hip hop duo composed of singer-songwriter Mike Posner and hip hop recording artist blackbear. They released their self-titled debut album on March 24, 2017.
History 2016–present: Be ...
's self-titled album ''
Mansionz
Mansionz (stylized as mansionz) is an American alternative hip hop duo composed of singer-songwriter Mike Posner and hip hop recording artist blackbear. They released their self-titled debut album on March 24, 2017.
History 2016–present: Be ...
''. He provides vocals on the single "Dennis Rodman" and uncredited vocals on "I'm Thinking About Horses".
In 2020, Rodman again featured on a track named after him, on rapper
ASAP Ferg
Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr. (born October 20, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Ferg (stylized as A$AP Ferg), is an American rapper from New York City's Harlem neighborhood. Aside from his solo career, he is a member of the hip hop collec ...
's ''Floor Sears II'' mixtape.
Personal life
Family
Rodman married his first wife Annie Bakes in September 1992.
They began dating in 1987, and had a daughter, Alexis Caitlyn (b. September 28, 1988).
Their relationship was marred by infidelities and accusations of abuse.
They divorced after 82 days.
On November 14, 1998, Rodman married model
Carmen Electra at the
Little Chapel of the Flowers
Chapel of the Flowers (formerly Little Chapel of the Flowers) is a wedding chapel located at 1717 Las Vegas Boulevard South in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Chapel of the Flowers was one of the earliest wedding chapels built on The Strip, but ...
in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
.
Nine days later, Rodman filed for an annulment claiming he was of "unsound mind" when they married.
They reconciled, but Electra filed for divorce in April 1999.
She later stated that it was an "occupational hazard" to be "Rodman's girlfriend".
In 1999, Rodman met Michelle Moyer, with whom he had a son,
Dennis Jr. ("D. J.", b. April 25, 2001) and a daughter,
Trinity (b. May 20, 2002). Moyer and Rodman married in 2003 on his 42nd birthday. Michelle Rodman filed for divorce in 2004, although the couple spent several years attempting to reconcile. The marriage was officially dissolved in 2012, when Michelle again petitioned the court to grant a divorce. It was reported that Rodman owed $860,376 in child and spousal support.
Rodman's son D. J. started playing college basketball for
Washington State in 2019. His daughter Trinity is a professional soccer player for the
Washington Spirit.
On July 14, 2020, Rodman's father Philander died of prostate cancer in
Angeles City, Philippines, at age 79. Dennis had previously reconciled with his father in 2012 when he made a trip to the Philippines after years of being estranged.
Alcohol issues
Rodman entered an outpatient rehab center in Florida in May 2008. In May 2009, his behavior on
''Celebrity Apprentice'' led to an intervention which included
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 a ...
as well as Rodman's family and other friends. Rodman initially refused to enter rehabilitation because he wanted to attend the ''Celebrity Apprentice'' reunion show. In 2009, Rodman agreed to appear on the third season of ''
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
''Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew'', later called simply ''Rehab with Dr. Drew'', is a reality television show that aired on the cable network VH1 in which many of the episodes chronicle a group of well-known people as they are treated for alcoh ...
''. Rodman remained a patient at the Pasadena Recovery Center for the 21-day treatment cycle. A week after completion he entered a sober-living facility in the Hollywood Hills, which was filmed for the second season of ''
Sober House
Sober living houses (SLHs), also called sober homes and sober living environments, are facilities that provide safe housing and supportive, structured living conditions for people exiting drug rehabilitation programs. SLHs serve as a transitional ...
''. During episode seven of ''Sober House'', Rodman was shown being reunited with his mother Shirley, from whom he had been estranged for seven years. During this same visit Shirley also met Rodman's two children for the first time. On January 10, 2010, on the same day that ''Celebrity Rehab'' premiered, Rodman was removed from an Orange County, California restaurant for disruptive behavior. In March 2012, Rodman's financial advisor said, "In all honesty, Dennis, although a very sweet person, is an alcoholic. His sickness impacts his ability to get work."
On January 15, 2014, Rodman again entered a rehabilitation facility to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. This came on the heels of a well-publicized trip to
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
where his agent, Darren Prince, reported he had been drinking heavily and to an extent "that none of us had seen before."
Legal troubles
Rodman has settled several lawsuits out of court for alleged
sexual assault.
In August 1999, Rodman was arrested for public
drunkenness
Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main p ...
and spent the night in jail after he got into an altercation at Woody's Wharf in
Newport Beach, California. The charges were eventually dropped.
On November 5, 1999, Rodman and his then-wife,
Carmen Electra, were charged with misdemeanor
battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
after police were notified of a domestic disturbance.
Each posted a bail worth $2,500 and were released with a temporary restraining order placed on them. The charges were dropped the next month.
In December 1999, Rodman was arrested for drunk driving and driving without a valid driver's license. In July 2000, Rodman pleaded guilty to both charges and was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines as well as attend a three-month treatment program.
In 2002, he was arrested for interfering with police investigating a code violation at a restaurant he owned; the charges were eventually dropped.
After settling down in Newport Beach, California, the police appeared over 70 times at his home because of loud parties.
In early 2003, Rodman was arrested and charged with
domestic violence at his home in Newport Beach for allegedly assaulting his then-fiancée.
In April 2004, Rodman pleaded
nolo contendere (no contest) to
drunk driving in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
. He was fined $1,000 and ordered to serve 30 days of
home detention. On April 30, 2008, Rodman was arrested following a
domestic violence incident at a Los Angeles hotel. On June 24, 2008, he again pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor spousal battery charges. He received three years of
probation and was ordered to undergo one year of domestic violence
counseling as well as 45 hours of
community service, which were to involve some physical labor activities.
On November 21, 2016, Rodman was charged with causing a
hit and run
In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
Additional obligation
In many jurisdictions, there may be a ...
accident, lying to police, and driving without a license following an incident on
Interstate 5 near
Santa Ana, California, in July. In February 2017, Rodman pleaded guilty to the charges. He was sentenced to three years of probation and 30 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay restitution and donate $500 to the Victim Witness Emergency Fund.
In January 2018, Rodman was arrested for driving under the influence in Newport Beach. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges and received three years of probation.
In May 2019, the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' reported that Newport Beach yoga studio owner Ali Shah accused Rodman of helping steal over $3,500 worth of items from the studio's reception area, including a decorative
geode. Rodman disputed the account, claiming the owner told him "Dennis, get anything you want." No charges had been filed at the time of reporting.
On October 18, 2019, Rodman was charged with misdemeanor battery after slapping a man at the Buddha Sky Bar in
Delray Beach, Florida.
Although he was forced in court in Orange County, California to explain numerous missed child-support payments, that was eventually understood to be a direct result of Rodman being one of the largest victims of professional scam artist/fraudster Peggy Ann Fulford.
Politics
On July 24, 2015, Rodman publicly endorsed
Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. That same month, Rodman sent out an
endorsement tweet, stating, "
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
has been a great friend for many years. We don't need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump! Trump 2016." Rodman and then US Presidential hopeful Trump had previously appeared together on ''
Celebrity Apprentice''.
In 2020, Rodman endorsed and campaigned for the
presidential campaign
President most commonly refers to:
* President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of rapper
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
.
North Korea visits
On February 26, 2013, Rodman made a trip to North Korea with
Vice Media correspondent
Ryan Duffy to host basketball exhibitions.
He met North Korean leader
Kim Jong-un. Rodman and his travel party were the first Americans to meet Kim. He later said that Kim was "a friend for life"
and suggested that President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
"pick up the phone and call" Kim, since the two leaders were basketball fans. On May 7, after reading an article in ''
The Seattle Times
''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington ...
'', Rodman sent out a tweet asking Kim to release American prisoner
Kenneth Bae
Kenneth Bae (born Pae Jun Ho; born August 1, 1968) is a Korean-American Evangelical Christian Missionary convicted by North Korea on charges of planning to overthrow the North Korean government, including setting up bases in China for the purp ...
, who had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea.
Kim released Bae the following year.
In July 2013, Rodman told ''Sports Illustrated'': "My mission is to break the ice between hostile countries. Why it's been left to me to smooth things over, I don't know. Dennis Rodman, of all people. Keeping us safe is really not my job; it's the black guy's
bama'sjob. But I'll tell you this: If I don't finish in the top three for the next Nobel Peace Prize, something's seriously wrong."
On September 3, 2013, Rodman flew to Pyongyang for another meeting with Kim Jong-un. He said that Kim has a daughter named Kim Ju-ae, and that he is a "great dad". He also noted that he planned to train the
North Korean national basketball team
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea national basketball team (recognized as DPR Korea by FIBA and known colloquially and in the media as North Korea) represents the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in international basketball and is ...
. He stated that he is "trying to open Obama's and everyone's minds" and encouraged Obama to reach out to Kim Jong-un.
In December 2013, Rodman announced that he would visit North Korea again. He also said that he has plans to take a number of former NBA players with him for an exhibition basketball tour. According to Rory Scott, a spokesman for the exhibitions' sponsoring organization, Rodman planned to visit December 18–21 and train the North Korean team in preparation for January games. The games were scheduled for January 8 (Kim Jong-un's birthday) and January 10, 2014. Included on the U.S. exhibition team were
Kenny Anderson,
Clifford Robinson,
Vin Baker,
Craig Hodges,
Doug Christie,
Sleepy Floyd
Eric Augustus "Sleepy" Floyd (born March 6, 1960) is an American former professional basketball player. An NBA All-Star in 1987 as a Warrior, he is perhaps best known for his tenures for Golden State and Houston.
Early life, family and education ...
,
Charles D. Smith
Charles Daniel Smith (born July 16, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
College career
As a college player, Smith was named Big East Player of the Year in 1988. He wa ...
, and four
streetball
Streetball (or street basketball) is a variation of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules. As such, its format is more conducive to allowing players ...
ers. Rodman departed from Beijing on January 6. Among his entourage was Irish media personality
Matt Cooper, who had interviewed Rodman a number of times on the radio.
Rodman made comments on January 7, 2014 during a CNN interview implying that Kenneth Bae was at fault for his imprisonment. The remarks were widely reported in other media outlets and provoked a storm of criticism. Two days later, Rodman apologized for his comments, saying that he had been drinking and under pressure. He added that he "should know better than to make political statements". Some members of Congress, the NBA, and human rights groups suggested that Rodman had become a public relations stunt for the North Korean government. On May 2, 2016, Kenneth Bae credited Rodman with his early release. He said that Rodman's rant raised awareness of his case and that he wanted to thank him for his expedited release.
On June 13, 2017, Rodman returned to North Korea on what was initially described as a sports-related visit to the country. "My purpose is to go over there and try to see if I can keep bringing sports to North Korea," he said. He added that he hoped to accomplish "something that's pretty positive" during the visit. He met with national Olympic athletes and basketball players, viewed a men's basketball practice, and visited a state-run orphanage. He was not able to meet with Kim Jong-un, but met instead with the nation's Minister of Sports and gave him several gifts for Kim, including two signed basketball jerseys, two soap sets, and a copy of Donald Trump's 1987 book ''
The Art of the Deal
''Trump: The Art of the Deal'' is a 1987 book credited to Donald J. Trump and journalist Tony Schwartz. Part memoir and part business-advice book, it was the first book credited to Trump, and helped to make him a household name. It reached num ...
''.
Other gifts believed to be intended for the leader's daughter included a ''
Where's Waldo?
''Where's Wally?'' (called ''Where's Waldo?'' in North America) is a British series of children's puzzle books created by English illustrator Martin Handford. The books consist of a series of detailed double-page spread illustrations depicti ...
'' book and a
jigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of often irregularly shaped interlocking and mosaiced pieces, each of which typically has a portion of a picture. When assembled, the puzzle pieces produce a complete picture.
In t ...
of a
mermaid
In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Mermaids are sometimes asso ...
.
Rodman posted a video on Twitter that was recorded before he left for the visit in which he and his agent describe the mission of the trip. "He's going to try to bring peace between both nations," said Rodman's agent Chris Volo, referring to the strained relations between North Korea and the United States. Rodman added, "That's the main reason why we're going. We're trying to bring everything together. If not, at least we tried."
The visit was sponsored by the cryptocurrency company PotCoin.
Rodman's "hoops diplomacy" inspired the
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
comedy ''Diplomats''.
Tim Story
Timothy Kevin Story (born March 13, 1970) is an African American film director. He is best known for '' Barbershop'' (2002), the ''Fantastic Four'' (2005) and the ''Ride Along'' franchise. He has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards for Ou ...
and
Peter Chernin
Peter Chernin (born May 29, 1951) is an American businessman and investor. He is the chairman and CEO of The Chernin Group (TCG), which he founded in 2010. TCG manages, operates and invests in businesses in the media, entertainment, and technolog ...
are set to produce the film, while Jonathan Abrams is reportedly writing the script.
Rodman visited North Korea again in June 2018. "I'm just happy to be a part of" the
2018 North Korea–United States summit
Eighteen or 18 may refer to:
* 18 (number), the natural number following 17 and preceding 19
* one of the years 18 BC, AD 18, 1918, 2018
Film, television and entertainment
* ''18'' (film), a 1993 Taiwanese experimental film based on the short ...
, he said, "because I think I deserve it."
There has been speculation that Rodman might be an
intelligence officer working for the
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
(CIA) on North Korea, with the CIA
neither confirming nor denying the speculation.
Presidential involvement suggested
''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'' raised the question of whether President Donald Trump sent Rodman on his 2017 visit to negotiate the release of several American prisoners of North Korea or to open a back channel for diplomatic communications.
The U.S. State Department, White House officials, and Rodman all denied any official government involvement in the visit. Rodman, who publicly endorsed Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, is a self-described longtime friend of the president and, as the article put it, "Trump and Kim's only mutual acquaintance."
''The Washington Post'' article stated, "Multiple people involved in unofficial talks with North Korea say that the Trump administration has been making overtures toward the Kim regime, including trying to set up a secret back channel to the North Korean leader using 'an associate of Trump's' rather than the usual lineup of North Korea experts and former officials who talk to Pyongyang's representatives."
When asked if he had spoken with Trump about the visit, Rodman replied, "Well, I'm pretty sure he's pretty much happy with the fact that I'm over here trying to accomplish something that we both need." Rodman publicly presented a copy of Trump's book, "The Art of the Deal" to North Korean officials, as a personal gift for Kim Jong-un. In a Twitter video posted by Rodman, his agent Chris Volo said, "He's the only person on the planet that has the uniqueness, the unbelievable privilege of being friends with President Trump and Marshal Kim Jong Un."
Rodman went on to say in the video that he wanted to bring peace and "open doors between both countries."
Otto Warmbier, an American student held captive in North Korea for 17 months, was released to U.S. officials the same day as Rodman's visit to North Korea. Despite the timeline of the two events, the U.S. State Department, The White House, and Rodman all flatly denied any diplomatic connection or coordination between Rodman's visit and the U.S. government. The U.S. State Department said the release of Warmbier was negotiated and secured by high level U.S. diplomats including
Joseph Yun, the State Department's special envoy on North Korea. Warmbier, who was in a nonresponsive coma throughout much of his imprisonment in North Korea, died days after being returned to his family in the U.S.
In an emotional interview with
Michael Strahan of ''
Good Morning America'', Rodman expressed sorrow for the death of Warmbier and said, "I was just so happy to see the kid released. Later that day, that's when we found out he was ill. No one knew that." He added that he wished to give "all the prayer and love" to the Warmbier family and had contacted them and hoped to meet with them personally.
Rodman's agent, Chris Volo, told ABC News that before they left for the 2017 trip, he had asked North Korean officials to release Warmbier as a symbol of good faith for any future sports-relations visits. "I asked on behalf of Dennis for his release three times," Volo said.
In December 2017,
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
professor of
neurobiology Joseph Terwilliger
Joseph Douglas Terwilliger is an American geneticist and professor of neurobiology at the Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. In addition to his scientific research, he is known for accompanying retired ...
, who has accompanied Rodman to North Korea, argued that "While I don't suspect that very many Americans would have chosen him to be an emissary or international goodwill ambassador, Dennis has had a long friendship with Mr. Trump and has also developed a very cordial friendship with Mr. Kim. In this tense climate, as we stand at a perilous crossing, Mr. Rodman's unique position as a friend to the leaders of both U.S. and North Korea could provide a much-needed bridge to help resolve the current nuclear standoff.
Works
Books
*
*
*
*
*
Films
*''
Eddie'' (1996) as Himself (cameo)
*''
Double Team'' (1997) as Yaz
*''
Simon Sez'' (1999) as Simon
*''
The Comebacks'' (2007) as Warden (cameo)
*''
Rodman: For Better or Worse'' (2019) as Himself
See also
*
List of career achievements by Dennis Rodman
This page details the career achievements of American basketball player Dennis Rodman.
NAIA Awards
Basketball Times National Player of the Year: 1986
3-time NAIA All American: 1983, 1984, 1985
2-time All NAIA Selection
*First Team: 1985
*Secon ...
*
List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders
*
*
List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders
*
List of National Basketball Association single-game rebounding leaders
Notes
* Rodman's height has been listed at , , or . NBA.com itself has been inconsistent.
References
External links
*
*
Online World of Wrestling profile
CageMatch profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodman, Dennis
1961 births
Living people
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
Actors from Trenton, New Jersey
African-American basketball players
African-American male actors
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American television personalities
American expatriate basketball people in Finland
American expatriate basketball people in Italy
American expatriate basketball people in Mexico
American expatriate basketball people in the United Kingdom
American male film actors
American male professional wrestlers
American men's basketball players
American people convicted of assault
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
Basketball players from Dallas
Basketball players from Trenton, New Jersey
Brighton Bears players
British Basketball League players
Chicago Bulls players
Dallas Mavericks players
Detroit Pistons draft picks
Detroit Pistons players
Fuerza Regia de Monterrey players
Long Beach Jam players
Los Angeles Lakers players
Male actors from Dallas
Male actors from New Jersey
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
National Basketball Association All-Stars
National Basketball Association players with retired numbers
New World Order (professional wrestling) members
North Central Texas Lions men's basketball players
North Korea–United States relations
Participants in American reality television series
People convicted of battery
People convicted of domestic violence
Power forwards (basketball)
Professional wrestlers from New Jersey
Professional wrestlers from Texas
San Antonio Spurs players
Small forwards
Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm men's basketball players
Television personalities from New Jersey
The Apprentice (franchise) contestants
Torpan Pojat players