Dennis Rodman's Arrival

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Lore & Background

Rodman fit perfectly into the 'Bad Boys' ensemble, providing tough defense alongside stars like Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. The squad swept the Washington Bullets and beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games during the 1987 playoffs but lost to the Boston Celtics in a grueling seven-game series often called one of the toughest ever. Rodman feuded with Dennis Johnson, taunting him by waving his hand over his head, only for Johnson to mimic the gesture as the Celtics closed out Game Seven. Following that loss, Rodman sparked controversy by claiming Larry Bird was overrated because he was white, stating, 'Why does he get so much publicity? Because he's white.' Despite teammate Thomas supporting him and his white girlfriend Anicka Bakes, the comments drew harsh criticism.

In Their Own Story

In the 1987–88 season, Rodman steadily improved to average 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds, starting in 32 of 82 games. The Pistons reached the NBA Finals but lost a seven-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game Six, with Detroit down by one point and eight seconds remaining, Dumars missed a shot and Rodman fell just short of an offensive rebound that could have won the title. In Game Seven, L.A. led by 15 points in the fourth quarter, but Rodman's defense helped cut the lead to six with 3:52 left and to two with one minute remaining. However, he fouled Magic Johnson, who hit a free throw, and Rodman missed an ill-advised shot with 39 seconds left, ending their championship hopes.

Reader's Guide

Rodman remained a bench player during the 1988–89 season, averaging 9.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 27 minutes, yet his defense was so effective he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. He saw increased playing time after Adrian Dantley was traded midseason for Mark Aguirre. That year, the Pistons finally swept their playoff bane, the Boston Celtics, and defeated the Chicago Bulls in six games to win their first championship. Rodman's role as a defensive specialist and rebounder became central to Detroit's success, establishing him as arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history according to his official biography.

Did You Know?

• Rodman was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as the third pick in the second round (27th overall) of the 1986 NBA draft.
• He feuded with Celtics guard Dennis Johnson during the 1987 playoffs, taunting him before Johnson mimicked the gesture to close out Game Seven.
• Rodman was a bench player during the 1988–89 season but earned his first All-Defensive Team honor while averaging 9.4 rebounds in just 27 minutes per game.
• In the 1988 NBA Finals, Rodman missed an ill-advised shot with 39 seconds left in Game Seven against the Lakers after fouling Magic Johnson.