“Dennis Rodman would show up late for games and eat chicken and rice”: Shaq explained how ‘The Worm’ earned enough respect from the Lakers to do whatever he pleased

Shaq talked about how Dennis Rodman would show up late for NBA games when with the Lakers and no one would say anything. 

Dennis Rodman was most definitely one of the most polarizing figures in all of North American sports during his time in the NBA. His constant partying and unorthodox mannerisms fueled by his eccentric personality left a divide between those who opposed such a lifestyle to be promoted and others who appreciated him being great despite the distractions. 

The latter is definitely the way to go when talking about Dennis Rodman because his lifestyle rarely got in the way of him being a crucial asset for championships. The Chicago Bulls certainly got more than just a taste of what Rodman’s antics were like, with him even leaving the franchise for 48 hours to party in Las Vegas.

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However, no one can argue with the fact that ‘The Worm’ produced on NBA hardwood when it came down to brass tacks. The Bulls needed his 15-25 rebounds a night and thrived upon receiving them. Winning 3 titles in a row is evident of his impact, regardless of the off-court distractions. 

Shaq on Dennis Rodman during his Lakers days. 

Many forget that Dennis Rodman was actually a member of the Los Angeles Lakers for a short while. After Jerry Krause pulled the plug on the Bulls championship core in ‘98, Rodman found himself sharing the court with another dynamic duo: Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

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Rodman would play only 23 games for the purple and gold in the 1998-99 season but would still average 11.2 rebounds. This was his lowest since the 1990 season but was still an incredible number to put. 

Despite his short stint on the team, Dennis Rodman clearly made an impression on the young Lakers, with Shaq breaking down how they would let him do what he wanted because they knew was going to produce on the court. 

“The great thing about Dennis Rodman is, he always did it his way. When I played with him- you’re supposed to be there an hour and a half before the game. He would come in with 45 on the clock eating chicken and rice and nobody would say anything. We knew he was going to give us 20-25 rebounds.”[At the 3:50 mark]