Dennis Rodman has a case for being the most enigmatic entity to play in the NBA. The Worm, who had established himself as a defensive superstar, became a social pariah and an outcast, almost overnight.
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Rodman was the underdog who had made it big and attained success unimaginable at a point in time. And then, came the antics and the drama and the media fuzz. Cameras followed The Worm almost everywhere as his personal life brewed attention like anything.
Alcoholism, excessive partying, and friendship with a dictator soon became Rodman’s highlights. The former Bulls superstar became a cult figure for all the wrong reasons.
To bother someone nicknamed the “Zenmaster”, Rodman must have had to go down a steep slope. The “Zenmaster”, Phil Jackson, arguably the most respected coach in all of basketball, was Dennis’ coach at the Bulls and one of the rare few who were up close and personal with Rodman.
And things got to a point with The Worm that Jackson was prompted to intervene.
Dennis Rodman scared Phil Jackson with his lifestyle
As someone close who had an influence on Dennis Rodman, it would appear Phil Jackson couldn’t stand watching Dennis kill himself with his habits. Once, Jackson apparently took Rodman to his side and told him that he doesn’t want him to die.
“I like to have a good time, man. Good, clean fun, “But for a while it was kind of a little sketchy. That’s when Phil Jackson took me to the side, and that’s the first time Phil Jackson ever got emotional with me. He said, ‘Dennis, I don’t want you to die’” describes Rodman about Jackson’s intervention with his partying which in his own admission had gone overboard.
It doesn’t look like the intervention slowed The Worm down much, though. Even most recently, the notoriety doesn’t appear to be heading to an end.
And all these habits have taken quite a hit on Rodman’s finances too, atop his mental health struggles.
How did the former Chicago Bulls star’s antics affect his financial capacity?
Dennis Rodman, being the winner of quite some silverware during his time in the league, signed quite a few big contracts for his career. The Worm earned around $27 million, which when adjusted to inflation, comes up to around $43 million today.
One would imagine that would suffice for any normal person for a luxurious life. But normal rarely applies to Dennis. Rodman, allegedly, was in heavy debt and struggling. In 2012, reports arose alleging that the former defensive player of the year couldn’t afford child maintenance and taxes. Dennis Rodman owed the State of California a whopping $850,000 in merely child maintenance payments.
A sad decline in status for a former basketball phenom indeed. Rodman is an example for any professional athlete on how not to manage your persona and your finances. Quite the disastrous outcome for someone who made a stellar career that deserved to be revered more.
