- Dennis Rodman was one of those players who could psyche out his opponents
- The Bulls forward had a rather funny way of distracting the players from the other team
- Rodman was a force for the Bulls in his three years with the franchise
Dennis Rodman had his own unique way of playing mind games on the court and explaining them was former Utah Jazz star Antoine Carr.
Speaking to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Carr revealed how Rodman used quirky methods to psyche out his opponents.
“He tries to get in your head, and if he’s able to do that, then it’s going to cause more havoc for your team. He wouldn’t say too much; he would just do ODD things!” Carr recounted. “Like when he called me up and said, “Hey dog, I’m getting married.” I said, ‘Okay. What’s going on?’ He said, “I’m marrying MYSELF!” So it’s like, ‘Okay.’”
He further added:
“But he’s a good dude but that’s just his style. He always has something going on that’s mentally going to be taxing to whatever team he’s going against.”
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Unlike modern-day trash-talk, or even like Larry Bird or Reggie Miller, who were quite verbal, the Bulls rebounding presence was a stark contrast. He said little, and he did that in his own Rodman-esque way that would leave opponents thinking.
And there’s no doubt that his ability to throw his opponents off their games worked. When it’s Rodman, it’s mostly his off-court persona that stands out, but it’s incredible to know first-hand accounts from his peers about his demeanor on the floor and how he was a vital cog in the Chicago Bulls‘ second three-peat.
Dennis Rodman Was Annoying, Even If He Wasn’t Trash-Talking On The Court
Further adding to Carr’s thoughts was Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, who faced enough of Dennis Rodman over the course of his illustrious career.
During the NBA 75 interviews, Wilkins shed light on how ‘The Worm’ would get on others’ nerves, even if he wasn’t dishing it out vocally on the hardwood.
“Dennis wasn’t much of a talker as much as he was like a pest. He would try to get in your head and do stuff to try to get you out of your game. That was his strong suit.”
Quite simply, Carr and Wilkins’ words show how immensely talented Rodman was, and that his unique style of distracting his opponents just adds to the multi-faceted player that he was in his prime.
He may not have been a scoring threat, but Rodman was stellar on the defensive end and the art of rebounding couldn’t have seen a better player to demonstrate it.
Dennis Rodman Played His Part In The Chicago Bulls’ Iconic Second Three-Peat
After his arrival in Chicago, Rodman dispelled all notions about his fit alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. With two stars who could score at will, Rodman knew his job, and he executed it to perfection when it came to defense.
The 6-foot-7 forward led the league in rebounding in all his three seasons with the Bulls. During his time with the side, Rodman averaged 5.2 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, coupled with 0.6 blocks and 0.3 steals.
While Rodman may have had his share of misadventures off the court, especially in his final season with Chicago, there was never a question about how good he was when he laced up to play. In that regard, there has to be enough credit given to head coach Phil Jackson who got the best out of his power forward.
For all the bad press that Rodman generated during his time in the NBA, he also ensured that he was one of the best defensive players in the league at the time.
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