Dennis Rodman has seen some major highs and lows in his life. From being homeless to playing in the NBA to then falling into obscurity only to rise again after his North Korea visit. In his exceptional life, The Worm has done a lot, achieved a lot, and perhaps also offended a lot. One such incident that stands out is when Rodman along with Isiah Thomas insulted Larry Bird. They claimed that the Celtics legend was seen as one of the best only because he was white and not because of his skills.
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In 1987, rookie Dennis Rodman helped the fearsome Detroit Pistons reach the Eastern Conference Finals. This was when the rise of the Pistons’ Bad Boys became apparent to the entire world.
But unfortunately, Detroit found perhaps the hardest draw. They met the Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird. After the thrilling series, Dennis Rodman and Isiah Thomas had some harsh words for the 6ft 9″ superstar.
Dennis Rodman launched a racist attack on Larry Bird
The 1987 Eastern Conference Finals series was an epic one. Both teams were ready to put their life on the line and battled like ferocious packs of wolves, tearing each other apart in the games.
The series reached the 7th game as the teams stood with 3 wins each. The 7th game saw Larry Bird rise to his reputation and prove to the Pistons who he was. With 37 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds, Bird was the best scorer of the game. His performance however left a mark on Dennis Rodman who later pounced on his adversary’s reputation.
Dennis: “Larry Bird is overrated in a lot of areas. I don’t think he’s the greatest player. He’s way overrated. Why does he get so much publicity? Because he’s white. You never hear about a black player being the greatest.”
Isiah Thomas agreed with The Worm
As if Dennis Rodman’s insult was enough, Piston’s star guard joined in on his teammate’s rant. Upon hearing Dennis’s argument, Thomas calmly agreed with him. He agreed that, unlike Larry Bird, a black player would not have received such praise from the media or public.
His words must have stung Bird all the more because, unlike Rookie Rodman, Isiah had played a lot of seasons in the league until then. He had seen what Bird was capable of and yet indulged in his teammate’s rants. Fortunately, Dennis later apologized for his comments.
