Dennis Rodman, known for his eccentricity on and off the court, struggled with alcoholism, which ultimately derailed his NBA career. After his departure from the Mavericks in 2000, his chance to rejoin the Lakers fell through. Isiah Thomas gave him an opportunity with the Knicks, but Rodman’s careless behavior hindered his prospects. In an ill-advised move, he jokingly came out as “gay” on national television. Talk about a blunder.
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Rodman was known for his ever-changing moods, making him an enigmatic figure in the NBA. While speculation surrounded his sexual orientation, it remains unclear whether he identified as gay or not. However, as was revealed in the book ‘I Should Be Dead By Now’, his ill-advised joke – publicly coming out as gay, proved costly for his last chance at an NBA return.
Dennis Rodman lost the chance to play for the Knicks thanks to a questionable joke about his sexuality
Around the 2004-2005 season, the New York Knicks were looking to add some reinforcements. Particularly in the frontcourt, having already assembled a strong front with Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford. So, Isiah Thomas the then-President of Basketball Operations decided to call an old friend.
Dennis Rodman had a great tryout with the Knicks and looked set to land a spot on the roster. However, he was given one instruction, don’t leak the news to anyone. A task that would prove quite difficult given the number of talk shows he was appearing on during that time. That being said, he was doing a good job keeping his lips sealed. But, all that went downhill when he appeared on ABC’s The View.
While on the show, The Worm couldn’t get a word in edgewise and was feeling rather awkward. So, when he finally got the chance to speak, he decided to ease his nervousness with some humor, blurting out that he was gay.
“So I changed the subject, told them I was there to make a special announcement. “I’m gay,” I said, and we all started laughing. “No, I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” Big joke, y’know?”
Of course, everyone took it as a joke, but when the show aired it did not sit well with the Knicks’ owner who decided he didn’t want him on the team.
“Two days later, Darren got this call from Isiah. “I could just hear in his voice that something was wrong,” Darren recalled. Isiah was like, “I’ve got a major problem.” Seems the owner of the Knicks pissed in his pants when he heard I said I was gay on The View, and he didn’t want me on the team. “
It was certainly a huge blow for the Hall of Famer. It effectively ruined any chances of him returning to the NBA. However, he did go on to play for a couple of other international teams before finally hanging up his sneakers in 2006.
The Worm played in the ABA and the British League before being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011
After leaving the NBA, he joined the Long Beach Jam in the American Basketball Association in 2003. The Worm also played in the British Basketball League, where he played for the Brighton Bears in 2006. He would retire after his stint in England, but his contributions to the game would be recognized five years later, as he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Despite his somewhat egregious personality, there can be no denying Dennis’ greatness. No matter what, he will go down as a legend of the game.
