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Distraught After Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen Drama, Dennis Rodman Opened Up on Past Trauma Repeating Itself in 1998

Published 11/30/2022, 2:30 PM EST

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The Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were widely considered one of the greatest teams ever and for good reasons. However, the legendary squad was dismantled unceremoniously due to internal issues.

Pippen and Jordan did not have the best of relationships with each other during that time. Moreover, they had issues with the front office as well.

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This affected the overall team morale. Dennis Rodman, in particular, was distraught with all the drama surrounding the team. In a 1998 Sports Illustrated piece, he revealed details about his struggles with coping with internal issues and his hate for the business of management.

Dennis Rodman was affected by all the Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen drama

The Chicago Bulls team of the 1990s was more than legendary. Led by the likes of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, they dominated the whole league and created a legitimate basketball dynasty.

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However, the departure of coach Phil Jackson and various other issues within the team forced a lot of its major stars to leave. Rodman was a free agent at the time with the Los Angeles Lakers being a likely destination.

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Moreover, Jordan and Pippen had issues of their own with the management. The multitude of issues within the team left a deep impact on Rodman especially.

In a 1998 Sports Illustrated piece, he revealed, “I stayed in the house for a month because of the disintegration of the [championship] team I played on in Detroit. It’s difficult now because of the situation with the other players, I don’t hate the other players, and I don’t hate management. I just hate the business of management.”

The Bulls’ disintegration reminded Rodman of the rift within the Pistons

The situation surrounding the Bulls had an uncanny resemblance to the disintegration of the Detroit Pistons team. Incidentally, Rodman was deeply affected after head coach Chuck Daly left the Pistons. The incident drove the NBA legend down a very dark path.

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The departure of Pippen, Jordan, and Rodman marked the end of an era. With brilliant chemistry both on and off the court, the legendary Bulls’ trio established themselves in basketball history.

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They were directly involved in the Bulls’ legendary championship run in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Despite playing only three seasons with the Bulls, Rodman left a deep impact winning three NBA championships. And the disintegration of the Bulls had a similar impact on Dennis Rodman, reminding him of his last days in Detroit.

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What is your favorite memory of the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by:

Abhinava Ghosh

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Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.
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Edited by:

Satagni Sikder