NBA icon Michael Jordan called Dennis Rodman “one of the smartest” players he ever played with.
Jordan and Rodman were teammates on the Chicago Bulls from 1995-96 to 1997-98.
“Dennis was one of the smartest guys I played with,” Jordan said in The Last Dance. “He understood defensive strategy with all the rotations. He had no limits in terms of what he does. … He was a new character, but I knew Dennis, and I knew what he could do basketball-wise.”
Jordan despised Rodman when Rodman was on the Detroit Pistons. Jordan would routinely get knocked to the ground by Rodman when he drove to the basket and suffered many bruises.
However, things changed in 1995 when the Bulls acquired Rodman from the San Antonio Spurs. Jordan knew what Rodman brought to the table and was confident he could help Chicago win titles.
After the Bulls won their fifth NBA championship in 1997, Jordan was asked by an NBA reporter if he wanted Rodman back. Jordan made it clear that Chicago needed to re-sign Rodman despite his berserk nature.
“His dresses doesn’t bother me,” Jordan said. “His hair doesn’t bother me. Sure, I mean, he’s gonna go wacko every now and then. We’ve come to live with that. We’ve come to accept that. But you can’t find another player on the basketball court that works just as hard as Dennis Rodman. Gives 110%, dives at loose balls even if he can’t get them. That’s Dennis Rodman. So I don’t have a problem with Dennis, and I don’t think Phil does. I don’t think Scottie does. We’ve been able to control him to some degree, and we’re here for champions back-to-back.”
Rodman didn’t make an All-Star team during his three-year run in Chicago. However, he was a force on the boards and helped Jordan and the Bulls three-peat.
In the offseason of 1994, the Bulls lost Horace Grant to the Orlando Magic. Without Grant in the middle, Chicago didn’t have a defensive stopper or rebounder, so general manager Jerry Krause was forced to trade for Rodman in 1995.
In 199 games with the Bulls, Rodman played his role to a T. He averaged 5.6 points and 15.3 rebounds and was a pest on defense. Opposing big men hated playing against Rodman because he never ran out of energy and loved being an instigator.
While Rodman anchored the middle, Jordan focused on scoring. The Bulls won three straight NBA championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998. They had a top-10 offense and defense each season, with Jordan and Rodman leading the way.
It’s pretty fascinating that Jordan and Rodman became teammates and won championships together. After all, Rodman wore a wedding dress once, married himself, changed the color of his hair numerous times and hung out at gay bars during his free time.
Jordan didn’t hang out with Rodman off the court. However, when it was time to go to battle, MJ wanted Rodman by his side when it mattered most.
Jordan is undoubtedly the best player in Bulls history. He won six championships, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, three steals titles and 10 scoring titles in Chicago and holds 27 franchise records.
Rodman is considered a Bulls legend as well despite only playing three seasons in the Windy City. He is the Bulls’ all-time leader in rebounds per game and won three rebounding titles.