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Five-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman and his exploits in the league are well known. Despite his insane popularity, Rodman’s relationship with his father has been relatively unknown to a large portion of his fanbase. For a long time, very little was known about his father other than the fact that he left his family when Rodman was only three years old. Philander Rodman, Dennis’ father, worked in the US Air Force and had multiple children with different women.

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He left his family and a 3-year-old son and ran off with another woman. For quite some time, he still worked for the Air Force but had to leave in a very embarrassing way. During an interview, Rodman revealed how the Air Force tampered with the relationship between him and his family.

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Rodman’s father left the Air Force after numerous accusations

Philander Rodman was a serial cheater and had around 26 kids at one point in time. Shirley was Philander’s first wife and the mother of Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman. He left Shirley for another woman and settled down a new life in the Philippines. Rodman settled in the country after multiple trips to jail. He ran a dingy old bar as he had lost his job in the US Air Force years ago. Philander left ‘The Elite Force’ after he was accused of stealing military equipment.

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Moreover, he also blamed his time with the Air Force for his lack of presence while Dennis Rodman grew up. According to an Washington Post, “Philander Rodman said he is spending a lot more time with these kids than he ever did with Dennis, and he blames that on his earlier career as an Air Force staff sergeant constantly on the move and on deployments overseas.

READ MORE: Dennis Rodman, Who Openly Stated That He Only Has a Mom, Rejected His Father’s Efforts to Rekindle Their Bond: “Never Received a Reply”

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Philander Rodman, who once wished to have 30 kids, had married two local women in the Philippines. He justified his polygamy as he was a Muslim. After all those years, he didn’t meet his world-famous son. However, he was caught up with all the action in the NBA as he watched games shown on ESPN.

Philander kept a jersey of Dennis Rodman alongside Michael Jordan

Dennis Rodman has played for a number of NBA teams but his most famous teammate undoubtedly is Michael Jordan. The Worm was an essential part of the Bulls team which won the three-peat.

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USA Today via Reuters

A jersey of Rodman alongside Jordan’s #23 hung on a wall in the Full House, Philander’s bar. Not only a jersey, but Rodman’s father also hung up posters of the NBA Hall of Famer on the walls. 

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WATCH THIS STORY: Dennis Rodman’s omnipresent nudity inspired the cast of Surreal life to do something bizarre

What is your favorite memory of Dennis Rodman? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by

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Abhinava Ghosh

1,823 Articles

Abhinava Ghosh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a wealth of experience covering the league. He has written over 1400 articles for EssentiallySports, showcasing his expertise in analyzing and reporting on NBA trade rumors, injury updates, and the ever-changing dynamics of the league. He had successfully covered the entire Kevin Durant trade saga at Brooklyn, which led to the basketball legend’s move to the Desert. He also kept our readers updated on the Brittney Griner situation throughout her exile in Russia. One of Abhinava's proudest moments came in 2015 when the Golden State Warriors won the NBA title after 40 years. As a lifelong fan of the Dubs, Abhinava was thrilled to see his team reach the pinnacle of the sport, but he remained objective and professional in his reporting.

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