“Dennis Rodman locked down both Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway”: How ‘The Worm’ did his thing against two of the most potent offensive threats of the 90s

Dennis Rodman defended Penny Hardaway better than anyone could and outrebounded Shaquille O’Neal while on the San Antonio Spurs. 

Dennis Rodman is one of the most underappreciated defensive stars the league has ever seen. ‘The Last Dance’ docuseries from last summer, thankfully, did wonders for the Bulls legend as it showcased just how maniacal he was in his quest to win. Though, the one thing he did struggle with was motivation, leading extravagant Las Vegas vacations. 

Dennis Rodman was one of, if not, the best perimeter defender of his era and looking back at it now, it was quite unfair that the Chicago Bulls had him along with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on their squad. Defense and rebounding was what ‘The Worm’ was known for and he played his part to a ‘T’.

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There are countless instances of that showcase Rodman’s relentless drive to outrebound a ‘fellow’ big man and the one shown below is just one such instance, coupled with excellent defense on Penny Hardaway. 

Dennis Rodman and his game against Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. 

It’s unclear which game this is between the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio Spurs but it does seem as though it is the March 12th, 1995 one. This game saw Dennis Rodman casually grab 23 rebounds and score 11 points en route to a close game that saw the Spurs lose by 6 to Shaq and his crew. 

The loss shouldn’t take away from the fact that ‘Dennis the Menace’ came out to play on both ends of the floor. Though, his defense on Penny Hardaway and him battling the boards with Shaquille O’Neal would be considered the highlight for his night.

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It’s still quite unfathomable that a 6’7 forward like Dennis Rodman would be that proficient on the boards, even when going up against 7’1 centers like Shaq.