“Dennis Rodman? Throw him in the same category as Bill Russell!”: When Alonzo Mourning made a staggering statement comparing Bulls legend as a defensive stalwart to Celtics 11x champ

Dennis Rodman or “The Worm” was one of the most polarising figures of 90s basketball.

A walking controversy if there ever was one, Dennis Rodman was never far away from the limelight. With his umpteen tattoos and wild hair colors, Rodman’s presence was the definition of flashy.

One of the unlikeliest success stories in basketball, Rodman was a specialist. His specialty? Defense and rebounding. Despite being an unheralded second-round pick, Rodman grew to become a key contributor to two great teams of the late 80s and the 90s; The Bad Boy Pistons and the three-peating Bulls.

A former janitor, Rodman went on to win 5 championships, picking up 2 DPOY titles and 7 rebounding titles along the way.

Also read: “David Stern told me he’d kick me out of NBA if I got more tattoos, I got one that night”: Dennis Rodman defied a direct order from NBA Commissioner

Dennis Rodman was one of those players whose importance could not be reduced to their stat sheets. A below-average offensive weapon and not much of a creator, Rodman’s box scores in most categories were uninspiring.

And yet he remained a coveted asset, such was the extent of his dominance on the boards and the defensive end.

How good was Dennis Rodman, according to Mourning?

To evaluate a competitor, there is no better note than the judgment of a peer.

Alonzo Mourning was one of the NBA’s great defensive centers during the 90s. Like Dennis Rodman, Mourning himself was a two-time DPOY and an authority as good as any on NBA defense.

At the 6:18 minute mark, Mourning says that Rodman’s name should be uttered in the same breath as that of Bill Russell. For a big man, from a big man, this is probably as high as complements come.

Bill Russell was the defensive stalwart who prevented Wilt Chamberlain from claiming more championships. Russell is unfortunate to have played in an era where the DPOY was not an award in existence, for otherwise, he would have racked them up.

Mourning’s words sum up how revered Rodman was for his defensive abilities. A rebounder as good as any, and a defender who could match up with anyone in history, Rodman definitely was a titan of the game.

Also read: “Dennis Rodman went from janitor to NBA superstar!”: How ‘The Worm’ reversed his poor fortunes thanks to a huge 10-inch growth spurt