Dennis Rodman is perhaps the greatest rebounder in NBA history. He may not hold the highest average of rebounds per game ever, but the way he dominated and mastered the craft of rebounding as an undersized player isn’t likely to be matched.
The Hall of Famer stands at just 6’7”. Yet, he led the league in total rebounds 7 times (all in consecutive seasons) and holds a career average of 13.1 boards per game. Moreover, he had multiple games of 20+ and 30+ rebounds, with a career-high of 34 rebounds (and 18 offensive rebounds).
Rodman has admitted to studying the art of rebounding like no one else. He studied the trajectory of the ball depending on which side of the backboard or rim it hit, and even how many times the ball spun in the air before falling so he knew when to jump and get an advantage over his rivals.
That unprecedented approach helped him dominate even far beyond his prime, as, according to Nick Nurse’s book “Rapture”, he even held the record for most rebounds in a game in the British Basketball League (BBL). The impressive part? He was 45 years old.
Back in 2006, Nick Nurse was coaching the Brighton Bears. Rodman agreed to join the Bears and play three games for them at $25,000 per game.
And, in the highest Dennis Rodman fashion, he reportedly arrived late to the game in a limo, made a bounce-pass assist in his first play, and then drew a charge to make the crowd go wild in the next possession.
Rodman grabbed 23 rebounds in just 38 minutes of play vs. Newcastle. Then, he claimed that he wanted to make a comeback to the NBA and headed back to the U.S. That comeback, as you may know by now, never happened, but he piled up yet another incredible story. What a legend.
