Do not let the bright hair colors, tattoos or nonchalant attitude fool you. Dennis was a serious competitor on the court, even gaining the respect of arguably the Greatest of All Time.
Dennis Rodman is a 5-time National Basketball Association Champion, winning back-to-back titles with the Detroit Pistons and a three-peat with the Chicago Bulls. Because of all his accomplishments, Dennis the Menace was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Worm is a basketball legend best known for being the hardest worker on the court. When the ball goes up, expect him to get the rebound, put it back for a tip-in, or throw an outlet pass the length of the whole court.
Basketball fan or not, anyone who will hear about Dennis Rodman’s accomplishments in the NBA will certainly be amazed. Here we’ll go over his career highlights and get back to why he became famous in the first place. And no, his looks and dating history is just gravy.
The Bad Boy Pistons
As a college senior, Dennis led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in rebounding with an average of 17.8 rebounds per game. He was then selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round in the 1986 NBA draft.
He joined the team coached by Chuck Daly and what would be the NBA’s best backcourt duos of all time, Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars.
That year, the team finished with a 52-win season, finishing second in the Central Division of the NBA. Rodman, just like most rookies, did not get much minutes, playing only 14 minutes per game.
His hard work was rewarded in the 1987-1988 season when his play time was almost doubled. With more minutes, he was able to double his production and impact on the team.
Dennis fit perfectly into the system as the team played a defensive-oriented style of play. Some people may see it as dirty but the game in the 80s was played with more physicality and more inside the paint than out the three-point line.
It was normal for offensive players to take hits back then that would be called flagrant in today’s game. The Bad Boys benefitted so much that they were able to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, playing against the Boston Celtics.
In the 1988-1989 season, the Pistons improved their season wins to 54 and reached the NBA Finals to face the Los Angeles Lakers led by Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The Bad Boys defeated the Lakers in a sweep to capture the NBA title.
Dennis was a stable contributor off the bench and because of his stellar defense, he was voted into the NBA All-Defensive team.
Dennis steadily increased his output again the following season and played as starter for 43 games. He averaged 8.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and shooting 58.1% in 29 minutes per game. The Pistons were again crowned as NBA champions in 1989-1990.
Rebound King
Starting in the 1991-1992 NBA season, The Worm dominated the NBA in rebounds as he averaged 18.7 rebounds per game. He continued to lead the NBA for six consecutive times.
To put this in context, Rodman was listed at 6 feet, 7 inches; a good size for a Small Forward. For seven years, he averaged more rebounds than the giants of the game such as Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon.
His rebounding prowess was greatly coveted by NBA teams with championship aspirations. In 1993 he joined the San Antonio Spurs, but this would be short-lived. He clashed with the Spurs front office and his playing time was further cut due to a shoulder injury he suffered from a motorcycle mishap in 1994-1995.
Running with the Bulls
The Chicago Bulls, led by arguably the NBA’s Greatest of All Time, Michael Jordan, was able to trade for Rodman in the 1995-1996 season.
By this time, Dennis already had a bad rap because of his rebellious attitude on the court and extreme off-court behavior.
It was a good thing that the Bulls had the Zen Master, Phil Jackson, as head coach trying to reign in Dennis and his wild ways. This would be a fruitful destination for The Worm as he was instrumental in the Bulls’ championship three-peat.
Going Out as Dennis Only Would
With the Bulls rebuilding, Dennis was let go in 1999 and was picked up by the Lakers where he would only play 23 games and was subsequently released at the end of the season. He then signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 1999-2000 playing only 12 games.
This may have been the end of his NBA career but certainly not the end of his cultural relevance.
Rodman Off-Court
Let us quickly rundown his cultural impact: He had a publicized affair with Madonna, married and divorced celebrity Carmen Electra, appeared in a movie with Jean-Claude Van Damme, was a pro-wrestler joining a stable with Hulk Hogan, a Celebrity Apprentice contestant and became an unofficial ambassador of the United States to North Korea. Amazed yet?
Dennis Rodman is not just a basketball Hall of Famer, he also lived a hall-of-fame life.