Dennis Rodman wasn’t always the eccentric superstar NBA fans know today. ‘The Worm’ came into the league just as humble as anybody would, especially after what he had gone through to get to that point in his life. Getting drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1986 meant he finally had a stable paycheck in his life.
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However, as time went on and his rise in stardom led to him making more money, Rodman would go on to strive for more than just fame and money. He wanted happiness. It was clear that he wasn’t content with being a professional basketball player and so he would indulge in other facets of life that came his way.
This mostly referred to substances and women. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to see Dennis play an NBA game one night and be seen getting drunk at a club with a slew of women surrounding him the next. The perfect city for these activities of his was of course, Los Angeles.
Dennis Rodman on the city of Los Angeles
Just because Dennis Rodman made headlines for his off-court shenanigans doesn’t mean he didn’t play his heart out while on the court for whichever team he was on at that moment. Despite the friction between the San Antonio front office and Rodman, the latter did his best when he was playing out on the floor.
During the 1995 Western Conference Semis between the Spurs and the Lakers, Rodman would be a key factor in the Spurs winning the series in Game 6, where he had himself 12 points on 75% shooting, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Following the game as the Spurs went down the tunnel to get to their locker rooms, Rodman would reportedly yell out, “This is what gets me so jacked, winning a series in LA; this town gets me off!” This is according to the Sports Illustrated Vault.
Ironically, Dennis Rodman would go on to play for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1998-99 NBA season where he’d play alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal for 23 games. Shaq would go on to describe Rodman as the worst teammate he’s ever had.
Dennis Rodman once dated Jeanie Buss
Dennis Rodman has been very candid about moments in his life and nothing changed when he was talking about his relationship with Lakers President, Jeanie Buss. According to him, he dated Jeanie for a total of 6 months.
Rodman knew Jeanie since her time in ‘Playboy’ and claimed she had put him up in the Ritz Carlton along with her. While at the Ritz, she called him up to her room for drinks. Their relationship would evolve from this moment onwards.
Also read: “A Flunked Medical”: How Dennis Rodman Could Have Eliminated Michael Jordan’s GOAT Case in 1986
