Dennis Rodman had an immensely difficult life when he grew up. The Worm, as he later came to be known, grew up in a household without a father. Shirley Rodman raised Dennis alongside two daughters Kim and Debra. The single mother however couldn’t cope with the pressure of raising three children together and kicked Rodman out of her house when he was just 18.
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Being homeless is not a picnic. it’s a constant battle against the elements, people, and your fate. Rodman lived that life as just an 18-year-old shy man who was deemed overly sensitive by his mother.
But somehow, through some stroke of luck, he turned his life around. Dennis Rodman became one of the greatest rebounders in history and made millions of dollars.
But his mother’s actions defined his life like a shadow getting darker even as his life got brighter. His ex-wife Annie never forgave her mother-in-law for what she did to her former husband. In an interview, she claimed that Shirley wasn’t a good mother.
Dennis Rodman suffered for his mother’s actions
Dennis Rodman’s turbulent past gave rise to a conflicted present. He lived his life on the edge and constantly challenged anyone who questioned his identity or rights. For Rodman, nothing mattered more than being himself.
Perhaps this is also something that helped form Annie’s perspective of Dennis’ mother Shirley. Annie Bakes, formerly Annie Rodman, had some rather negative opinions of her mother in law. Annie considered Mrs. Rodman a terrible mother.
In an interview with Terrence McCoy of New Times, Annie disclosed her verdict on Shirley Rodman.
“She put him down a lot. She never gave him praise. I have nothing good to say about Dennis’ mother… She just wasn’t a good mom.”
Fortune led The Worm to the NBA
18-year-old and homeless, Rodman’s chances of a successful life were thinner than late April ice. What really helped him was an unpredictable height boost when he was 19. Rodman gained almost 9 inches in the span of just a year. The height gain changed his destiny.
He found an opportunity to play for the Southeastern Oklahoma State University despite having never played basketball for a school team.
Rodman’s work rate and gratitude for finding a way out paved a path straight to greatness. He is immortalized in his history as one of the most efficient rebounders the league ever witnessed. Maybe if Shirley had known this, she would never have hurt her son.
