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“They Want to Put Me in a Mental Hospital,” Dennis Rodman Recalls How He Had Gone Through “Heartache” at His Ex-Wife’s Hands

Published 06/30/2023, 8:30 AM EDT

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Dennis Rodman has led an eventful life. Apart from his high-intensity game, his relationships have garnered most of the spotlight. The Bulls legend’s involvement with famous figures such as Madonna and Carmen Electra are hot topics for fans, even to this day. However, it seems some relations took a toll on the five-time champion’s well-being. Recently, the defensive stalwart discussed one of the biggest heartaches of his life.

The going got so tough for the Rebound King that he was actually considering ending it all in Detroit.  Recently, Rodman recalled the disheartening memory from his early marriage and the moment that could have been his last.

Dennis Rodman points to a Seattle rock band for saving his life

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Rodman married Annie Bakes in 1992 after dating for five years. Their married life, however, was not a bed of roses. The conjugal life was marred by constant accusations of abuse. Then, Rodman’s wife allegedly cheated on him with one of his teammates on the Pistons. When Rodman came to know of this, he got so devastated that he contemplated suicide.

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Somehow, Rodman pulled through the difficult phase, with his fighting spirit. Recently, in his appearance on VladTV, Dennis Rodman recollected that devastating episode from his life.

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As it goes, Dennis Rodman was once found asleep inside his car with a shotgun in his hand. “I was in the car and had a gun to my mouth, and I fell asleep to Pearl Jam. I think that actually saved me,” said Dennis Rodman.

Rodman recalled waking up, “I think the whole city of Detroit was around my car. And they want to put me in a mental hospital. I’m not mentally dumb. I think a lot of people knew what I was going through.”

The pain of betrayal – both from his wife and his teammate – nearly drew an early end to Rodman’s life. But he boldly shares his pain, while being grateful for surviving it. “Yeah you’re going through heartache man, we’ve all gone through, we’ve all just thought the world was crumbling,” the host told Rodman sympathetically.

During the VladTV interview, Rodman also recalled how he and his former spouse put that bad phase to bed.

Rodman solved the problems and won a game on the same night

When the VladTV host asked Rodman, who his ex-wife had cheated with, Rodman was not ready to answer. Instead, he said, that he and his wife had talked about the whole thing and sorted it out.

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Rodman broke bread with his ex-wife and later went for a game at night and returned victorious. While Rodman went out to play for his side, his then coach and father figure, Chuck Daly, had empathized with him for what he was going through.

On the back of these accusations and many ups and downs, the couple parted ways after 82 days of married life.

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From his North Korean connection to his many subsequent relations and marriages, Dennis Rodman remained a unique personality in the history of sports.

WATCH THIS STORY: Ten things Chicago Bulls Legend Dennis Rodman can’t live without

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Written by:

Krishna Prasad M

980Articles

One take at a time

Krishna Prasad is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He holds professional qualifications in English and Journalism from reputed institutions. As a trained reporter, Krishna's intense passion for sports writing prompted him to become an NBA journalist.
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Edited by:

Aakash Nair