Dennis Rodman living the life that he did made sense considering the fact that he didn’t grow up with a whole lot as a child. He was kicked out from his home at age 18 by his mother, Shirley, after he failed to contribute financially to their household.
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He would have to take up odd jobs to provide for himself before he would eventually get scouted from Southeastern Oklahoma State. It would be from here where he would get drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 1986 NBA Draft.
Rodman’s life took a turn for the better the second he entered the league. He would receive a steady paycheck along with fame and this led to him living one of the most extravagant lifestyles a professional athlete could ever indulge in.
Also read: Dennis Rodman, Who Couldn’t Pay $850,000 To Ex-Wife, Revealed He Was ‘F**king Selfish’ As A Father
Dennis Rodman forced Michael Jordan and the Bulls to do drills
Dennis Rodman, after having won two championships in Detroit and failed to help the Spurs reach the Finals, was traded for pennies on the dollar in the summer of 1995 to the Chicago Bulls. Phil Jackson believed he could control Rodman and help him stay true to himself while also being a vital part of title contender.
One such instance of the ‘Zen Master’ giving Rodman some leeway was when he agreed to let him go to Las Vegas for 48 hours in the midst of a tumultuous 1997-98 campaign for them. He would happily take the 48 hours and would essentially disappear off the grid.
After having spent thousands in Vegas, Michael Jordan would have to drag Rodman out of his hotel room and bring him to practice.
In an attempt to get ‘The Worm’ back in shape, Phil would employ the help of an ‘Indian drill’ where the man in front of line maintains the pace of the running. Rodman however, would zoom past his fellow teammates and it would hilariously take them 4 laps to catch up to him in the process.
Dennis Rodman always had the highest motor on the team
Dennis Rodman, for all the rebounding and defense he played for 40+ minutes a night, would be required to have the highest motor on the team. The only way he reliably scored points was on fast breaks so him being fast with great stamina was a necessity.
He would also have to be incredibly strong and have a brilliant second jump to battle down low for rebounds with bigs that were larger than him. So, in several ways, every aspect of Rodman’s physique was superior to almost every single person on any team that he was on.
