Dennis Rodman is a character unlike any other in the history of the NBA. While Rodman was great on the court, having won 5 championships and 2 Defensive Player of the Year Awards, he is equally or perhaps remembered even more for everything else he did off of it.
He was a fashion and culture icon of sorts and he once spoke about how David Stern threatened to kick him out of the league for his tattoos. He was also quite outspoken and has made his fair share of outlandish statements over the years, but there was perhaps none more so than his comments on the Golden State Warriors during an interview with CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter. Rodman claimed during that interview that Klay Thompson was the most important player for the Warriors, even more so than Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
“What I’m saying is that Klay Thompson makes that team. Everybody’s always worried about Curry. I know Curry’s dad and all that bulls—. But Klay Thompson makes that team. It ain’t Green, that guy, no. It’s Klay Thompson.”
While there is no doubt that Klay has been a vital part of the Warriors dynasty, there is no real argument for him being more important to their success than Curry or Green. Steph’s impact on the team speaks for itself and Green is a former Defensive Player of the Year whose importance to the team goes well beyond the numbers he puts up. The Warriors, as we know and love them, just wouldn’t exist without those two cornerstone pieces.
This is by no means an attempt to diminish Klay, who has had many iconic moments during this run, with the most memorable one being that Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. He has played a big role in turning the Warriors into a dynasty and will now be looking to add another title to his trophy cabinet, as Golden State prepares to face the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals.
