"Big Bug" Dennis Rodman, TA rated NBA 75 Big 62

Denis Rodman has been among the top 75 stars in the NBA. His journey is so bizarre that no other star can match in the history of the league.

The Hall of Fame was inducted into the 2011 Hall of Fame and is one of the greatest rebounder and defenders in NBA history. Among the top 75 stars selected by TA, he is one of the few players known for defense and rebounding rather than scoring, shooting or passing. He has never been a high-yield scorer or an offensive threat, and has subverted the inherent perception of superstars in the sports world - perhaps still the only one to this day. And his influence on modern athletes has long been everywhere.

He drank like a rock star and dated celebrities. He was full of tattoos before they became popular. He dyed his hair into various imagined colors and patterns, punched ear piercings, nose rings, lip nails, wear neutral clothing and even wedding dresses, completely breaking the stereotype of traditional masculinity.

"He was the most unique player in the league of that era." His former Bulls teammate and current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Cole commented.

Rodman rejected TA's request for interview for this article. He is one of the most fascinating figures in NBA history and has also gained a place in pop culture. Some people think he shouldn't be on the 75 list, but just like other chapters of his life, he can always break the rules and eventually succeed.

"All else besides it," said his former Bulls teammate Judd Butcher, "no matter which team he goes to, he can win the game - and he is the championship."

If you ask the Lakers legend, James Worthy, who is also a member of the NBA 75, who is the best defender he has met in his career, the answer is blurted out.

"Denis is the one who guards me the most," Worthy said. "He is extremely tough and powerful. What makes me most troublesome is that his steps are as flexible as me and he will play psychological warfare with you. "

Rodman, who holds five championship rings, has an inconspicuous background compared to most of the stars on the list. He is not a successful genius at a young age, nor is he a potential stock in a prestigious high school university, and has never even played in high school basketball or NCAA Division I. When he graduated from high school, he was only 1.75 meters tall and was cut by the rugby team. He was just a substitute in the basketball team. His two sisters, Debra and King, are much taller than him. They are five-star high school students. They were later selected as the All-American Team at Louisiana Tech and Stephen F. Austin University respectively.

According to Rodman's recollection, after graduating from high school, his mother Shirley drove him out of the house. He has been wandering for nearly two years, wandering around in his friend's backyard, sleeping on the street in a garbage bag of clothes. Later, he worked as a cleaner at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. In order to seek a sense of identity, he stole 15 watches from the airport jewelry store and distributed them to friends and strangers for free. He was later arrested and stayed in the detention center for 18 hours. In the end, the charges were revoked because the watch was recovered.

Rodman didn't get into basketball seriously until he was 20 years old - at this age, most legends are either preparing for the NBA draft or already playing in the league. What's even more incredible is that between the ages of 18 and 20, he grew 25 cm long, reaching 2.01 meters. In the months that followed, he trained for up to 10 hours a day and eventually received a NAIA scholarship from Southeast Oklahoma State University. Despite his rough skills, he was selected to the All-American team for three consecutive years and dominated the field. He entered the NBA at the age of 25—the 1986 draft was drafted, and the Detroit Pistons selected him in the third pick in the second round (27th overall). The Pistons were on the rise at the time, and the core was another 25-year-old player, Isaiah Thomas. In the first few seasons, Rodman was a dynamic rebounder and defensive player on the bench until he made his mark in the 1988-89 season, and was selected as an All-Star for the first time in the 1989-90 season, starting his legendary career.

Rodman once compared himself to a rash that his opponent cannot get rid of - he can always anger his opponent, causing him and the opponent to frequently take technical fouls, malicious fouls, and even be expelled or suspended. He perfectly integrated into the Pistons' "bad boy" culture. Even though he had not yet escaped the introverted shell at that time, he was already a headache-inducing defensive vanguard on the outside. The nickname

"Worm " originated from his body twisting when he was playing marbles when he was a child, and later became a portrayal of his basketball style. He quickly proved that he was the league's top substitute defensive wing, with a slender figure, abundant strength and rapid speed. As a 2.01-meter defender, he can defend from No. 1 to No. 5. He was blocking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the last round and may break Magic Johnson's ball in the next round. This kind of versatility is far beyond the cognition of that era.

"He regards defense as pride," Worthy said. "You can't get around him at all. His strength is enough to keep you from moving, so you have to sleep well and be fully prepared. "

Rodman was twice elected as the best defensive player of the year (1990, 1991), becoming one of the most comprehensive defenders in history and one of the few non-inside players to win this honor. He also was selected to the All-Defensive Team seven times.

"It's incredible to see his defense." Cole said.

In Detroit, legendary coach Chuck Daley was crucial to Rodman's growth and became his acting father. Daly accepted his personality and was proud of his growth and progress.

Rodman was 3 years old and his father, Phyland Rodman II, left the family. The Air Force soldier later settled in the Philippines and did not reappear until Rodman was famous in the late 1990s when the Bulls became famous and contacted again in the early 2010s. The abandonment of his father, his mother's indifference, and his poverty-stricken growth environment shape his introverted personality and self-destructive, eager to pay attention.

"Dennis actually never had a real father image," Worthy said. "I think after he lost Daly, he began to drink and package himself. "

Daly resigned after the 1992 season, the core of the Bad Boys Legion gradually disintegrated, and Rodman's personal life fell to the bottom.. One day in February 1993, he drove to the Auburn Hill Palace, the Pistons home court, where a loaded rifle was placed in the truck and had the idea of committing suicide. He fell asleep in the car with the gun next to him and was eventually found by the police - a friend who was worried about him called the police.

This incident became a turning point. Rodman later said that he had an epiphany and did not want to pretend to be someone else. He asked for a deal shortly afterwards and was sent to the San Antonio Spurs before the 1993-94 season. At about the same time, he began dating superstar Madonna, and his image changed completely: after watching "The Crazy Dragon", he floated his hair white, his upper body was covered with tattoos, and his style became bold - a weird hat, exaggerated sunglasses, and a naked upper body look.

"He was not so arrogant in his early years," Butcher said. "The things he did later mean a bit of a sensational effect. "

In San Antonio, Rodman found freedom, although the fate was short-lived.

The Bulls, who won three consecutive championships since 1991, determined that Rodman was the tough role the team needed in the frontcourt. In October 1995, they exchanged center Will Perdue for Rodman, and this big bet was the team culture led by Jordan and coach Phil Jackson.

Similar to when he was in Detroit, Jackson knew that he had to find a resonance with Rodman in order to get him fully engaged. According to Jackson's memories in "The Last Dance", the two met badly for the first time - Rodman didn't get up and shook hands and greeted him. But later, they established a connection due to a shared interest in Native American culture. Most importantly, Jackson gave Rodman freedom that other coaches would not tolerate—for example, in the mid-1997-98 season, he notoriously went to Las Vegas for 48 hours.

As Rodman's fame gradually grew, there were more and more distracting things off the court - marrying Carmen Electra, wearing wedding dress to promote autobiography, playing professional wrestling, participating in film and television, and having a carnival for days. But his relationship with Jackson is crucial to the Bulls' success. This friendship continues to this day, and when Rodman was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, Jackson was the referee.

"Phil had a great influence on Dennis," Butcher said. "He understood Dennis and gave him space...I think Dennis respected Phil. They initially spent a lot of time building relationships, so it worked. If a traditional old-school coach had been referring to Dennis's various things all day long... "

"Phil didn't care about Dennis' minor problems - such as violating dress codes every time he took a plane. He didn't fine again and again, making small things big, but accepted Dennis's original appearance. "

Rodman's first season with the Bulls, the team set a record of 72 wins and won the 1996 championship. In the end, they achieved three consecutive championships, Rodman became the perfect third giant, assisting Jordan and Scotty Pippen, and the Bulls also became one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

"I am the only one who does dirty work and bears the abuse of other players," Rodman said in "The Last Dance", "I just want to play, even if I get broken my nose and scratched. Things that can cause pain can inspire me. "

Rodman turned the rebound into a science. When most players practice shooting, footwork, passing or defensive slipping, he often goes to the stadium at three or four in the morning to let his friends shoot and practice rebounding by himself. Based on the ball's rotation, shooting arc, and contact trajectory with the basket and rebound, he can accurately predict the landing point of the ball.

"I have never seen a second person with rebounding skills. " Worthy said.

From 1991-92 to 1997-98, Rodman won the rebounding champion for seven consecutive years - no one in NBA history has even won five consecutive times. He averaged 18.7 rebounds per game in the 1991-92 season, the highest record in a single season since Wilt Chamberlain's 1971-72 season.

"He has a talent for rebounding, I've never seen before," Cole said. "He can grab 18, 20, 22 rebounds, and the numbers are crazy. This comes from his amazing prediction, will and vitality. "

Rodman has rebounded 20+ for seven consecutive games (November-December 1992, February-March 1995). From the 1986-87 season to the 2019-20 season, he led the league with 159 rebounds and 20+ rebounds, and has less than 82 second-place games. He is also one of the only two players in NBA history who have 5,000 more rebounds than scores (the other is Bill Russell): Rodman has 11,954 rebounds, 6,683 points, a difference of 5,271; Russell has 21,620 rebounds, 14,522 points, a difference of 7,098.

But he is not only a rebounder and defender, but also passes and covers the ball, and can always find the right position and cutting route on the court. His greatness comes from his mentality in part—he is smarter than anyone in terms of angle and tactical judgment.

"What surprised me the most was his basketball IQ, which I might not have paid much attention before," Butcher said. "It was not until he got along with him every day that he realized that his IQ was ridiculously high. He quickly learned to attack the triangle, which many people found difficult, but it was fine for him. He was impeccable in every aspect of the game, which impressed me. "

Jordan called Rodman one of the smartest players he has ever worked with. Rodman will study his opponents, watch videos repeatedly, and study scout reports.

Cole remembers that in the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, Rodman first fought Shaquille O'Neal at a low post, and then switched to the outside defense Anfini Hardaway. No matter who he is defended against, his strength, height and speed can be perfectly matched.

"In that era, he was able to defend all positions on the field," Cole said. "His speed... was as fast as a horse race, and his lateral movement and strength were amazing. "

The Bulls' deal eventually became one of the most successful deals in NBA history.. In his 14-year career, Rodman has played for five teams: the Detroit Pistons, the San Antonio Spurs, the Chicago Bulls, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.

But in San Antonio, the off-site story (he became a cultural phenomenon) was more compelling than the on-field performance. He played 35 games in the Lakers and the Mavericks, and the ending was in a downright despair. At the end of his career, he fought against alcohol, fame, his father's identity and the end of his basketball career, and the end of his career was not glorious.

Looking back at Rodman's career, the Pistons and Bulls' periods were the most dazzling. On both teams, he won five championship rings, two best defensive players and two All-Stars. Despite spending seven years in Detroit, he gained more attention in three years in Chicago.

He once thought he was the world's biggest star - bigger than Jordan.

"There was one year, maybe six months, I was even more popular than Jordan." Rodman said in the ESPN documentary "Rodman: Right and Evil".

Rodman is a natural performer and a fan favorite. He was loved by the public when grabbing rebounds, the saves of the ball when he flew into the audience, and the disputes with the referee and his opponent.

Rodman's influence has long surpassed American culture. He has formed a friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a fan of Rodman and the Bulls of the 1990s. He made hair dye, tattoos and piercings popular in sports circles. From NBA's Ci Shiping, Russell Westbrook, Dwight Howard, to NFL's Odel Beckham Jr. and DK Metcalf, he can be seen.

Rodman's truth makes him extremely friendly. By social standards, he is undoubtedly an alien, but he calmly accepts his weirdness and exposed emotions - these are things hidden in most people's daily lives.

He was also extremely vulnerable: he cried at the press conference for winning the best defensive player for the first time; he was taken to the hospital for excessive ventilation on the day of signing with the Pistons. He openly fights with his inner demons and temporarily paralyzes his emotions with alcohol, parties and love.

Rodman far surpassed his time. Nowadays, players like him may be more accepted — and may also be helped with depression, addiction and childhood trauma. Many of his behaviors actually indicate the mental health issues that athletes are now talking about.

"No matter what Dennis did off the court, he always fulfilled his promises," Butcher said. "He did too much for us. There was a time when he grabbed 20+ rebounds in 10 or 12 consecutive games - and during that time, he probably played the craziest. "

In many ways, Rodman was the most interesting and mysterious sports star of our time.

At the same time, don't forget that he always maintained a high winning rate in the first 12 seasons of his career. Among players with similar appearances to him, he ranked fifth in winning percentage; among players with similar appearances to him, he ranked sixth in winning percentage. He changed the defense and rebounding of the game and made the team top.

"He's so unique," Cole said. "The impact on winning is huge... You can feel his presence every night, it's a combination of hard work, skill and pure will. I definitely think he is one of the greatest players in history. "

Career data:

Games: 911 games, average: 7.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, shooting percentage of 52.1%, free throw percentage of 5 8.4%, win contribution value 89.8, player efficiency value 14.6

Honors:

Two selected for the NBA Best Team, two All-Stars, Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1991), League Rebound King (7 consecutive years from 1992 to 1998), Five-time Championship (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998), Initial Hall of Fame in 2011, and NBA75 Superstar in 2021