“If We Can’t Beat Them, Let’s…”: Dennis Rodman Once Revealed His Lesser Known Role on the Infamous ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ Team

Published 09/27/2022, 1:07 AM EDT

In an interview segment on ESPN’s Jump, Dennis Rodman revealed his not-so-popular role during his tenure at the Pistons.

In an ESPN Jump segment from 2019, Dennis Rodman joins Rachel Nichols and Scottie Pippen to discuss his “30 for 30” documentary, the rivalry between the Bulls and Detroit Pistons, playing with Pippen and Michael Jordan, and coach Phil Jackson.

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Detroit vs Chicago Rivalry, Dennis Rodman in the Pistons

Before Rodman played in the Windy City, he was part of the Detroit Pistons. He won two championships in Detroit along with fellow stars – Isiah Thomas and Bill Lambier. The Detroit Pistons were the biggest roadblock for Michael Jordan. They had bounced him and the Bulls of the playoffs several times.

“He Calls You the…”: Dennis Rodman, Who Won 7 Consecutive Rebounding Titles, Was Given a Huge Tag by Former Teammate Scottie Pippen

They could do so because of Rodman’s rugged defense and unreal rebounding. The pistons became known as the ‘BAD BOY PISTONS’ due to the physical style of play with Rodman at the forefront. Rodman perfectly summed up the mentality of the Pistons when he said, “If you can’t beat them, let’s beat them,” and Rodman was the main enforcer of this mentality. This had become his role in Detroit. Detroit also mentally dominated the Bulls: “They were in our heads”.

The bulls were eventually able to overcome the Pistons. It was the change of an era, the passing of the torch. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls went on to form a dynasty after beating the Pistons.

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The Worm in Chicago

The 7x Rebound Champion and 2x DPOY joined the Bulls after his brief tenure in San Antonio. The trio of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman went on to three-peat and dominate the league. Rodman was instrumental in all three championships, making key plays in clutch moments. His defense and tenacious rebounding helped them overcome their rivals, such as Utah and Seattle, in the finals.

Dennis Rodman holds every rebounding record possible. At just 6’5” ft, the Worm could dominate big men in the paint like no one. Though he could not average double-digit points, he was a monster on the glass and a lockdown defender.

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Watch the Story – Millionaire Actress Carmen Electra Broke Down on Live TV After NBA Legend Dennis Rodman’s Camp Called Out Her Ulterior Motives in Their Marriage

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Written by:

K Shrijith is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Currently pursuing his BBA degree, Shrijith has a keen interest in the world of finance. In fact, he has past experience in equity research and writing research reports on the subject of finance.

Edited by:

Tony Thomas

“If We Can’t Beat Them, Let’s…”: Dennis Rodman Once Revealed His Lesser Known Role on the Infamous ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ Team

Detroit vs Chicago Rivalry, Dennis Rodman in the Pistons

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The Worm in Chicago