Dennis Rodman facts for kids
_(cropped).jpg)
Rodman in 2017
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 13, 1961 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| High school | South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 27th overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Pro career | 1986–2006 |
| Career history | |
| 1986–1993 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1993–1995 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1995–1998 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1999 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2000 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2003–2004 | Long Beach Jam |
| 2004 | Fuerza Regia |
| 2004–2005 | Orange County Crush |
| 2005 | Torpan Pojat |
| 2005–2006 | Tijuana Dragons |
| 2006 | Brighton Bears |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,683 (7.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 11,954 (13.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,600 (1.8 apg) |
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is a former American professional basketball player. He is famous for his amazing defense and rebounding skills. The official NBA website calls him "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history." His nickname was "the Worm." He played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Rodman won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team seven times. He was also the NBA's top rebounder for seven years in a row, which is a record. He won five NBA championships with his teams. In 2011, the Pistons retired his No. 10 jersey, and he was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team as one of the best players ever.
Rodman was known for his unique style. He often dyed his hair bright colors and had many tattoos and piercings. After a difficult time in his life in 1993, he changed his public image to be more of a "bad boy." He also became known for visiting North Korea and meeting its leader, Kim Jong Un.
Besides basketball, Rodman was also a professional wrestler. He was part of the nWo and wrestled with Hulk Hogan. He also appeared in movies and on TV shows, including his own show, The Rodman World Tour.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Rodman was born in Trenton, New Jersey. His father, Philander Rodman, Jr., was in the Air Force. When Dennis was young, his father left the family and moved to the Philippines. Rodman has many brothers and sisters. His mother, Shirley, worked up to four jobs at once to support the family.
Rodman and his two sisters, Debra and Kim, grew up in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, which was a poor neighborhood. His mother gave him the nickname "The Worm" because of how he wiggled when he played pinball. Rodman was very close to his mother. His sisters were both very good at basketball and became All-American players in college.
In high school, Rodman was not a star athlete. He was only 5 feet 6 inches tall as a freshman and was cut from the basketball teams. He also failed to make the football teams, which made him feel "totally devastated."
College Basketball Career
After high school, Rodman worked as a janitor at an airport. Then, he had a big growth spurt and grew to be 6 feet 7 inches tall. He decided to give basketball another try.
A friend told the coach at Cooke County College (now North Central Texas College) about him. He played there for one semester and did very well, but he left because of bad grades. He then transferred to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. There, he became a three-time NAIA All-American and was the best rebounder in the NAIA for two years. In his three seasons, he averaged 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds per game. His great playing helped him get noticed by the Detroit Pistons.
Professional Basketball Career
Detroit Pistons (1986–1993)
The Detroit Pistons drafted Rodman in the 1986 NBA draft. He joined a tough team known as the "Bad Boys," which included stars like Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. Rodman quickly became known for his strong defense and energy.
In his first season, the Pistons made it to the 1987 playoffs but lost to the Boston Celtics. The next year, Rodman's skills improved, and he helped the Pistons reach the 1988 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the 1988–89 NBA season, Rodman was voted to the All-Defensive Team for the first time. The Pistons finally won the 1989 NBA Finals by defeating the Lakers. Rodman was a key player, grabbing 19 rebounds in one game and playing tough defense.
Winning Championships and Rebounding Titles
During the 1989–90 NBA season, Rodman became an even more important player for the Pistons. He won his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Pistons won their second championship in a row, beating the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1990 NBA Finals.
The next season, Rodman became a starting player and won his second Defensive Player of the Year Award. In the 1991–92 NBA season, he became an amazing rebounder, averaging 18.7 rebounds per game. This was the first of his seven straight rebounding titles. His 1,530 rebounds that season was the most since Wilt Chamberlain in 1972.
After the 1992-93 season, Rodman wanted a change. The Pistons' coach, Chuck Daly, whom Rodman saw as a father figure, had left the team. On October 1, 1993, Rodman was traded to the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs (1993–1995)
With the Spurs, Rodman played alongside star center David Robinson. He continued to be a great rebounder, winning the rebounding title again. He also started to become famous for his wild hair colors, like blonde, red, and purple.
The Spurs were a good team, but they had trouble in the playoffs. In the 1995 NBA playoffs, they lost to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. Rodman was sometimes suspended for his behavior, and he did not get along with the team's management.
Chicago Bulls (1995–1998)
Before the 1995–96 NBA season, Rodman was traded to the Chicago Bulls. He joined a team with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. This team became one of the best in NBA history. Rodman chose to wear jersey number 91 because the numbers add up to 10, his old number.
With the Bulls, Rodman won another rebounding title, averaging 14.9 rebounds per game. The team won 72 games that season, which was an NBA record at the time. Rodman, Jordan, and Pippen were all named to the All-NBA Defense First Team.
In the 1996 NBA Finals, the Bulls beat the Seattle SuperSonics. Rodman was a hero in the series. In two different games, he grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, tying an NBA Finals record. Seattle's coach, George Karl, said that Rodman won two of the games for the Bulls by himself.
More Championships with the Bulls
In the 1996–97 NBA season, Rodman won his sixth rebounding title in a row. He made headlines for his behavior, including an incident where he kicked a cameraman. He was suspended for 11 games. Despite this, the Bulls made it to the 1997 NBA Finals and beat the Utah Jazz for the championship.
The next season, Rodman won his seventh straight rebounding title. The Bulls, led by an older Jordan and Rodman, faced the Jazz again in the 1998 NBA Finals. Before Game Four, Rodman famously left the team to go wrestle with Hulk Hogan. He was fined but returned to play well. The Bulls won the series, giving Rodman his fifth and final championship ring.
After that season, the Bulls team broke up. Michael Jordan retired, and other key players left. Rodman was released by the Bulls in 1999.
Later Career
Rodman later played for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999 and the Dallas Mavericks in 2000. His time with these teams was short. After leaving the NBA, he played for a few teams in other leagues, including the Long Beach Jam in the ABA, and even played one game in Finland.
In 2011, it was announced that Rodman would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a great honor for any basketball player.
Legacy in Basketball
Rodman is remembered as one of the greatest defensive players and rebounders in basketball history. He could guard players of any size, from small guards to large centers. His seven straight rebounding titles are a record that shows how dominant he was at getting the ball.
While he was not a big scorer, his energy and hard work made his teams better. He won five NBA championships and was a key part of the famous "Bad Boys" Pistons and the legendary 1990s Bulls.
NBA.com calls Rodman "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history." He was also known for his unique personality, with his colorful hair and tattoos. In 2021, he was named one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
Professional Wrestling Career
Rodman also had a career in professional wrestling. In 1997, he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and became a member of the nWo with Hulk Hogan.
He wrestled in a tag team match with Hogan against Lex Luger and The Giant. Later, he teamed up with Hogan again to face his basketball rival Karl Malone and Diamond Dallas Page. Rodman and Hogan won the match. He also had a short feud with wrestler Randy Savage.
In 2008, Rodman won a TV show called Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling.
Media Appearances and Personal Life
Rodman has appeared in many movies and TV shows. He had his own MTV show called The Rodman World Tour in 1996. He also acted in movies like Double Team with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Simon Sez.
He has three children. His son, Dennis Jr. (DJ), plays college basketball for USC. His daughter, Trinity Rodman, is a professional soccer star for the Washington Spirit and the U.S. national team.
North Korea Visits
Starting in 2013, Rodman made several trips to North Korea, a country that has a difficult relationship with the United States. He met the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, and they became friends. Rodman said his goal was to use basketball to "break the ice" between the two countries.
His visits were unusual and got a lot of media attention. Some people praised him for trying to build a bridge between the two nations, while others criticized him. During one visit, he gave Kim Jong Un a copy of the book Trump: The Art of the Deal, written by his friend and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
See also
In Spanish: Dennis Rodman para niños
