Dennis Rodman grew up in a hostile environment. His mom Shirley, who was raising her kids as a single mother, threw her son out of the house when he was only 18. The Worm then worked in an airport as a janitor to sustain himself. But soon, as he grew up to be 6ft 8″, Rodman found life in basketball. He was given an opportunity to play for Oklahoma State but faced extreme racism there.
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Dennis Rodman is a strange character, he has lived a life on the edge. While his past, full of wild stories, may make it sound like his wife was one big party, Rodman went through a lot of struggles.
Though an early life betrayal by his mother set the precedent for terrible things happening to him, life can sometimes top its cruelty. Rodman face some of the worst possible interactions when he finally made it to Oklahoma State.
Dennis Rodman faced racism in college
After a sudden growth spurt, basketball suddenly became an appealing career choice for Dennis. He was approached by Oklahoma State with the possibility of playing for them. Rodman took the opportunity and started his career. However, what waited for him in Oklahoma was horrible racism and discrimination.
In an interview with The New Times, it was revealed what happened to DennisRodman in college.
“Basketball, at least for a time, fulfilled that fantasy. Though he had never played on his high school’s varsity team, there was still a possibility he could compete in college. Standing six-foot-eight, he squeaked onto the squad at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, nestled in Durant, then a rural, backward town of 6,000 inhabitants. “They’d tell me: ‘Get your black ass out of here,’ or ‘Go back to Africa, nigger,'” he wrote in his 1996 book, Bad as I Wanna Be.”
Though by playing basketball, Dennis the Menace was spared the financial troubles of being a janitor, life wasn’t too kind to him. Racism is a horrible thing and to face discrimination in your daily life is a terrible fate to deal with. Luckily for Dennis, he did not allow what happened to him in Oklahoma to decide his future.
The Worm’s early life struggles have followed him
Even after reaching NBA, Dennis did not find peace. he was a shy and timid, man who couldn’t trust. All of his troubles and trauma caused Dennis to spiral.
The former Chicago Bulls superstar attempted suicide in 1993. He survived because he fell asleep. Today, he deals with severe alcoholism and has eaten through his NBA earnings. He is currently estimated to have a net worth of just $500,000 though he made over $27 million in his career. Not the best fate for such a legendary player.
