Dennis Rodman, a highly recognizable face in NBA history, has been dissatisfied with his pay and treatment in the league. He has openly expressed his discontent, believing that the NBA deliberately neglected him in terms of marketing opportunities. In his 1996 book, “Bad As I Wanna Be,” Rodman described how he felt the NBA was prioritizing stars like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal over him, stating they were being forced upon everyone. Recently, Rodman appeared on VladTV’s Youtube Channel, where he discussed various topics, including his concerns about marketing and salary issues.
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During the 90s, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal emerged as prominent figures, filling the popularity void left by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. They became the NBA’s poster children. This did not sit well with Rodman, who believed he deserved better treatment in terms of marketing and compensation compared to O’Neal. Even after 27 years since expressing his dissatisfaction in his book “Bad As I Wanna Be,” Rodman still finds it hard to comprehend the $75,000 paychecks he received.
Dennis Rodman expresses his ‘disappointment’ about his salary and marketing in the NBA
During his appearance on the renowned interview channel VladTV, Dennis Rodman was prompted to discuss the details of his initial NBA paycheck. Responding to the inquiry, Rodman stated:
“It was like working at K-Mart. That’s how big that contract was. It was like 75-80 grand at the most“.
The revelation was truly shocking considering Dennis Rodman’s exceptional rebounding skills, which quickly made him one of the best in the NBA within his first 2-3 seasons.
Despite his impressive achievements, such as winning two championships with the Detroit Pistons and three more with the Chicago Bulls, Rodman was shockingly underpaid, earning a salary comparable to that of a K-Mart supermarket manager in the 80s. However, Rodman’s grievances with the NBA extended beyond his paychecks.
In his book, Dennis openly discussed the NBA’s selective marketing of players. With candor, he expressed his personal views on the matter, sharing his thoughts with readers:
“The NBA is so big on marketing. They were ahead of football and baseball from the start. The league understood what could happen if it flooded people with positive images of the top players. But they’ve gotten so limited in who they market that it’s almost suffocating. Mostly it’s Michael and Shaq. They force those two guys down people’s throats.”
Pistons-Bulls legend points out ‘pay-disparity’ in the NBA
During the 1990s, NBA players were known to earn substantial fortunes from playing basketball. Contracts during that era did not reach the astronomical figures of $300-400 million. However, it was typical for star players to earn yearly salaries ranging from $15 to $20 million.
However, it is quite astonishing that Dennis Rodman, a two-time ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ and a highly accomplished player, only earned approximately $27 million over his entire 12-year NBA career.
Rodman frequently highlights the significant wage disparities within the NBA. Particularly for players like himself and Scottie Pippen. They played on comparatively low salaries. He attributes this wage gap to the NBA. He holds them responsible for the stark contrast between the earnings of certain star players and the rest of the league.
