Dennis Rodman had a unique approach to the game of basketball. Instead of being the jack of all trades, he was the master of one. That skill was rebounding the basketball at an elite level. He spent 14 years in the league and averaged 13.1 rebounds in his career, while he averaged just 7.3 points per game.
After a phenomenal run with the Chicago Bulls, Rodman played for two more years in the league for the Lakers and the Mavericks and retired in 2000. But did you know he also played in the British Basketball League (BBL)? Yes, the quirky NBA player made his debut in the BBL back in 2006. He donned the jersey for the Brighton Bears and signed a 3-game contract with the team.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg: the five-time NBA champion was already 45 years old at the time, but he was still capable of pulling down rebounds with ease. According to Instagram page Basketball Forever, Rodman amassed 23 rebounds in a single game, which became a record for the BBL.
“In 2006, Dennis Rodman signed a 3-game contract with the Brighton Bears of the British Basketball League for $75,000. The 45-year-old Rodman played under HC Nick Nurse, and casually set a BBL record of 23 rebounds in single game”
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Although the competition level of the BBL is nowhere near the NBA, it still takes a lot to record 23 rebounds in a single game. Moreover, doing it during your mid-40s is even more astounding. This proves how amazing of a player Rodman was and why Michael Jordan recruited him to the Chicago Bulls.
Previously, Rodman was part of the Detroit Pistons and had already gone toe-to-toe against MJ. But that was when Jordan was yet to achieve anything significant in the postseason. By the time the two players teamed up, Jordan had already tasted victory and was making a comeback after his first retirement.
The team was in need of a rebounding machine after Horace Grant’s departure and Rodman did just that. He knew his role and fulfilled it perfectly and won three more championships in his career.
