You can name a lot of things about Dennis Rodman: His bold fashion choices, vibrant hair colors and array of piercings, but something that the NBA world unanimously agrees on is that he was one of the best players in the league. As a key member of the Chicago Bulls, Rodman was a vital part of the team that changed the game.
The trio of Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan was one of the greatest in the NBA history. Together, they won three consecutive championships and establishing themselves as the dominant team of their era. Despite the different paths that each player took in retirement, the titles and accomplishments remain an enduring testament.
During a 2022 interview with the NBA 2K YouTube channel, Rodman, who played alongside Jordan for several years before his personal challenges, shared his take on the GOAT debate and chose Michael Jordan. “You guys are going to find out a really cool story about this guy who changed the game of basketball literally for all of us and for all of you kids today because you buy this guy’s stuff and all this stuff is like gold. I think he’s the best,” Rodman said about MJ.
With that statement, Rodman made clear that Jordan was more than just a player. His style of play and the stories behind his success changed the NBA, inspiring younger generations who are now making history in the league.
Michael Jordan #23 of the Washington Wizards smiles before their game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. The Knicks won 93-91.
Rodman’s appreciation for Jordan
As Jordan’s teammate, Rodman has shared a lot of stories about their time together in different spaces. Their partnership created in the 1990s was fondly remembered by that the Bulls fans, as it helped a lot in reaching the titles in the Chicago franchise’s history.
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Rodman has appreciation for Jordan, as he proved that being an athlete is something different from fame and excesses. “He brought a lot to the entire basketball community around the world,” Rodman said. “That work ethic that he just went to the gym and worked, was something that I appreciated from MJ.”
Rodman reflects on the Pippen-Jordan dynamic
As there was an undeniable bond between the three of them, and the NBA world recognizes that Jordan and Pippen were great teammates in and out the floor. Fans witnessed that in every single game they played together, and that helped a lot to the Bulls‘ chemistry.
Because of that bond, Rodman remarked that Pippen and Jordan were the ideal role models for NBA players to emulate and admire. “Every practice, I mean every practice, he and Scottie did it. They made each other better, literally, during a game and Jordan wanted perfection,” Rodman remarked.
The funny part about MJ in the GOAT debate is that he told before that he doesn’t consider the NBA’s GOAT, as he stated: “I haven’t played to the players that came before me.” However, he remarked: “I accepted other opinions about him and the other players about me being the GOAT.”
