Any big fan of the Chicago Bulls is bound to know who Dennis Rodman is. Indeed, Rodman is an athlete who has managed to stand out as one of the most memorable figures in basketball, even after being separated from his esteemed teammates and most impressive team. Those who know about Dennis Rodman know how dirty a player he can be. He has had many infamous moments over the years, and because of it all, there are some things about Dennis Rodman that most people would be shocked to know.
10) Promoted books in a strange way
Those who only followed Rodman’s basketball career might not be aware of his many antics off the court. Some of his most infamous incidents have occurred while attempting to promote books he has written. He’s actually written two different autobiographies and promoted each one in a unique way. Rodman promoted the first one by wearing a wedding outfit and the second one by spending some time inside the coffin. Both moments were strange, but they served to generate some publicity.
9) He is a Peace Ambassador
Many people are well aware of Rodman’s various infamous past dealings, so what may shock some people the most is the fact that he is an unofficial American peace ambassador. This alone is shocking enough, but it gets even better when people find out which country he serves as ambassador to. “The Worm” considers himself a messenger of peace between America and all countries, including North Korea. He has been demanding some level of peace between the two countries since 2013.
8) Visits North Korea regularly
Because of his unofficial ambassadorial duties, Rodman actually visits normally reclusive North Korea relatively more often than anyone else. Most people know that visiting North Korea is not the easiest thing for the average person to do, but Rodman is quite welcome there. He said that they love basketball there and have traveled there not only to play but also to help train his players. It is weird, but Rodman takes his visits there quite seriously and is interested in helping, especially in a high-profile incident involving an inmate.
7) People assume he is a CIA agent
Because Rodman visits North Korea regularly, many people have assumed that he is actually some kind of unofficial government agent. Some say that Rodman goes to North Korea on the orders of the CIA to assist in tense situations and gather information. Although it seems far-fetched, the idea behind it is that they like basketball there, and Rodman’s interest in their culture could lead to America sending an agent as a celebrity. Although this is probably untrue, it is interesting to think about.
6) Claims of having dozens of siblings
While some of the things Dennis has said over the years have been in doubt for some fans due to the wild nature of some of the claims, it is possible that he has had an interesting life. One of the strangest claims is that he is one of about forty children. Stories about two of his sisters and how they were often considered the prodigals of the family have been famously told, but no one would have thought that he would have dozens more siblings. Whether true or not, this claim is exactly the kind of strange thing about Rodman that may very well be true.
5) He was a pro wrestler
Dennis Rodman has been a lot of things and being a professional wrestler was also one of them. He didn’t just make a short appearance to promote something else, “Dennis the Menace” was a consistent part of WCW storylines for a few years. He was never considered the most amazing wrestler in the world, but his work earned him a spot alongside names like Hulk Hogan, Sting, Randy Savage and Lex Luger. It’s easy to forget that Rodman was a member of the infamous nWo, but that’s just how that group was at the time.
4) Wasn’t much of a athlete when young
Since Rodman became such a great figure in the NBA, even when he wasn’t winning championships, it may come as a bit of a surprise to learn that he actually wasn’t much of anything in his youth. Sure, he made it to the NBA, but long before that, he failed to make it onto many sports teams. Rodman was fortunate enough to have a growth spurt that helped him become more effective on the court, but he was noticeably short when playing in high school. It was so bad that Rodman even admitted that there was a time when he couldn’t even make a simple layup.
3) Was brutally honest during his time with the Spurs
When people talk about Dennis Rodman, it is usually about his time on either the Chicago Bulls or the Pistons due to the dominance of those teams. A team people often forget he was part of was the Spurs. He spent only two years with the team but was a severe critic of the quality of their play. Coming off a two-time championship-winning team, Rodman had no problem attacking everyone from the Spurs, from players to coaches, whenever they were not living up to his high standards of play.
2) Endorsed Kanye West
Although Dennis has always been a notorious and wild person in the public eye, the more often he talked about politics, the more awkward things became. While he became controversial for his vocal support of Donald Trump, things got even more weird when he supported Kanye West. It wasn’t just a simple endorsement, Rodman actively campaigned on Kanye’s behalf for some time. It’s strange at first, but when most people think about how shocking both men can be in the public eye, it’s almost the perfect combination of notorious characters.
1) Faced a lot of legal issues
Many sports stars face legal problems in their lives. Whether an athlete thinks he’s above the law while playing or whether his issues surface after his on-court career, legal issues are nothing new. Rodman has had a surprising amount of legal issues over the years. Many of those issues appear to stem from his battle with alcohol, something that has been quite public thanks to reality television, but he has also dealt with several claims of serious impropriety over the years.
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