Shawn Kemp credits Dennis Rodman for the 1996 Finals impact.
Shawn Kemp recently discussed the 1996 NBA Finals on the ‘All The Smoke’ podcast, highlighting Dennis Rodman’s impact over Michael Jordan in the series against the Chicago Bulls. Kemp shared insights about the challenges the Seattle SuperSonics faced, particularly against Rodman.
“They put Detlef on Michael Jordan… Detlef’s a great player. I mean, he is, man. I don’t think it was fair to him.”
“If anything, you pull somebody off the bench and put on Michael Jordan, it can just waste fouls and be physical with him. But you know, you come out there being soft with Michael, he gonna take advantage of you, and that’s exactly what happened.”
“But Michael wasn’t the reason. He didn’t beat us in the championship. He did not beat us, man. We was on his a**. He didn’t beat us. Dennis Rodman is the one who beat us. We had no answer for his a**, man. We had no answer for Dennis Rodman.”
“I mean, every time that they needed a second shot at something special or extra rebound or tip in, this motherf***er was flying and winking and, I mean, kissing and winking and kissing and s**t. Frustrating everybody on the team, man.”
“Dennis not even like that, he just do that s**t the other day, man. He just doing that s**t, and he had everybody on my team just flustered, man. I’m gonna tell you, with Frank Bukowski, man.”
“When Dennis started wearing color contacts during the championship. He started wearing color contacts during the championship with some lip s**t on, man. He would be like, he was trying to kiss Frank’s arm and s**t, and then Frank just couldn’t take it, man. It was just, the man in him just couldn’t allow it.”
“We need to fight the rebound and s**t, man. He got him all discombobulated. Oh, s**t. I was just like, come on, man. So yeah… Dennis Rodman, he’s a genius.” (0:28)
Kemp noted that while the Sonics initially struggled to contain Jordan, it was Rodman who truly disrupted their game plan. Rodman’s relentless rebounding and defensive antics threw the Sonics off balance.
Kemp recalled how Rodman’s unconventional behavior, including wearing colored contacts and engaging in psychological warfare, significantly affected his teammates, particularly Frank Brickowski. Rodman’s ability to secure crucial offensive rebounds and second-chance points played a pivotal role in the Bulls’ success.
Rodman irritated Brickowski so much that in Game 4, Brickowski was ejected for committing a flagrant foul on Rodman, which further demonstrated Rodman’s ability to get under the skin of his opponents.
In the 1996 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls faced off against the Seattle SuperSonics. The Bulls had set a then-record for most wins in a regular season, finishing with a 72-10 record, while the Sonics ended with a 64-18 record, both topping their respective conferences.
Jordan, who won his fourth MVP that season, averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.2 steals during the regular season, shooting 49.5% from the field and 42.7% from beyond the arc.
The Bulls quickly took a 3-0 series lead, appearing poised for a sweep. However, when Gary Payton was assigned to defend Jordan, the Sonics won the next two games, narrowing the series to 3-2. Despite Payton’s efforts, Rodman and Jordan’s performances in Game 6 clinched the title for the Bulls.
This victory marked Jordan’s fourth championship and Rodman’s first with the Bulls, validating Phil Jackson’s decision to bring Rodman onto the team. It also represented Rodman’s third career championship.
During the Finals, Rodman averaged 14.7 rebounds, 7.5 points, and 2.5 assists, shooting 48.6% from the field. Notably, he had standout games with 20 rebounds in Game 2 and 19 rebounds in Game 6. Jordan, meanwhile, averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals, shooting 41.5% from the field and 31.6% from three-point range, earning his fourth Finals MVP.
Kemp’s reflections highlight how Rodman’s defensive prowess and psychological tactics were instrumental in the Bulls’ success, demonstrating that sometimes, the less glamorous aspects of the game can be just as crucial as scoring.