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Despite $4.5 Million Extension, Unhappy Dennis Rodman Made Outlandish Threats to Michael Jordan’s Bulls at the Start of the 1997 NBA Season

Published 12/17/2022, 1:30 PM EST

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Dennis Rodman is one of the most controversial stars in NBA history. Despite his unparalleled success on the hardwood, especially in rebounding the basketball, the five-time NBA champion often saw himself engulfed in controversies. In fact, Rodman got entangled in major controversies in his third year with the Chicago Bulls during the 1997-98 season. During that season, Michael Jordan and the Bulls were going after their second three-peat. Before the start of the regular season, Rodman expressed his displeasure with the season’s contract and refused to sign it. Moreover, he also made some odd threats to the Bull’s management to ensure his demands are met.

Dennis Rodman refused to sign the contract, which included a base salary of $4.5 million. As it turns out, the Bulls superstar was unhappy with several incentive clauses and demanded the removal of certain clauses in the contract. ‘The Worm’ was particularly upset with the clause that tied compensation to the team’s performance.

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Dennis Rodman made some outrageous threats to the Bulls management in 1997

When Rodman spoke to the Chicago Tribune in 1997, he stated, “I don’t have a contract and the contract they’re trying to give me, I don’t like it.” Since two of the Chicago Bulls stars, Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc were injured, he demanded a change in the pay-per-win clause. Rodman pointed out, “How many games are we going to win without Scottie and Toni?

The number of clauses laid down in the contract didn’t impress ‘The Worm’. He also said, “It would be different if I was a guy who hadn’t accomplished anything in this league.” Eventually, he threatened to sit out of the entire regular season if his demands were not met.

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Despite the controversy, the Bulls went on to win their second three-peat that season. Rodman ended up playing the entire season and saw his team lift the Larry O’Brien trophy once again in his last season with the organization. Before leaving the Bulls, he managed to pull another controversy during the 1998 play-offs. After recovering from the injury discussed earlier, Pippen returned to the team which prompted Rodman to ask for a much-deserved break of 48 hours, which the Bulls legend decided to spend in Las Vegas.

Rodney failed to return to the team within expected time, which compelled Michael Jordan to visit Las Vegas and get him back. The incident was extensively discussed in Netflix’s The Last Dance, with accounts from all parties involved.

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Watch This Story – He Had the Gun. He Was Going to Do It”: 23 Years After Saving 5x NBA Champion Dennis Rodman From Taking His Own Life, Massive NBA Voice Broke His Silence

Dennis Rodman had a successful career with 5x NBA Champions and impressed the NBA world with his rebounding skills. Despite all his achievements, he had also been a controversial figure in NBA. Let us know your favorite Dennis Rodman moments in the comment section.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He holds a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has previously worked as a contributor at an online news site. Shahul has always shared a keen interest in journalism, starting off as a reporter for his college news journal.
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Edited by:

Satagni Sikder