Dennis Rodman didn’t appreciate the Spurs’ strategy to guard Hakeek Olajuwon, and in the process, he threw his teammate under the bus.
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Rodman was an integral memeber of the Bulls’ championship teams that won three titles between 1996 and 1998. Chicago wouldn’t have reached those heights if it wasn’t for Rodman’s intensity.
He was brought over on Jordan’s request. He used to be a member of the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs before he joined the Bulls, and he gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in the league.
In fact, Rodman was part of the ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ teams that Jordan used to match up against. The Pistons and Bulls had formed quite the rivalry back then.
The Pistons were notorious for playing a rough style of basketball and invented the ‘Jordan rules’ to slow down the Bulls legend. This would involve fouling him hard, holding him, bumping him, and a lot more to make him physically uncomfortable. Rodman was a major part of that.
However, when the time came, Rodman proved his worth to the Bulls and won three rings with them.
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Dennis Rodman seemingly sabotaged his teammate by not guarding Hakeem Olajuwon
Dennis Rodman’s defensive ability is his greatest trait, but in the 1995 Western Conference Finals, he refused to guard Hakeem Olajuwon.
This put his teammate, David Robinson, under a lot of pressure. Robinson had to match up with one of the most skilled centers of all time, and then find a way to go back on offense and work some magic against the NBA’s all-time leading shot blocker.
It was a disaster and Robinson was eaten up. However, Rodman had justification for why refused to go on Hakeem. He didn’t like the fact that he was being asked to guard the Rockets legend in the first half as it’s always better to save the better defender for the second half.
“Where was David Robinson in the Houston series (1995 Western Conference Finals)? He got eaten alive by Hakeem Olajuwon that whole series. They asked me to guard Olajuwon, and I refused. Bob Hill came up to me and asked if I would take Hakeem in the first half, and I said no.”
“I would have taken him in the second half, but not the first. Any coach will tell you you don’t put your best defensive player on the other team’s best offensive player in the first half. You put it all on the line in the second half. That’s how it worked with Chuck Daly in Detroit, and I know that’s how Phil Jackson feels in Chicago.”
Looking at Rodman’s explanation, it makes sense why he refused the matchup. However, from one angle it also looks like Rodman sabotaged his teammate. David Robinson’s net worth is $230 million, and he had a great career in the end, but that 1995 series was one to forget.
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