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SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 24: Dennis Rodman #10 and David Robinston #50 of the San Antonio Spurs talk against the Sacramento Kings on March 24, 1994 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1994 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Getty
SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 24: Dennis Rodman #10 and David Robinston #50 of the San Antonio Spurs talk against the Sacramento Kings on March 24, 1994 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1994 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBA legend Dennis Rodman joined the San Antonio Spurs after his stint with the Detroit Pistons. Many believed that it was his presence and performance that catapulted the Spurs. They even made their first appearance in the Western Conference Finals in the year 1994 after more than a decade. But it wasn’t a smooth ride for Rodman.
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Rodman did not have a great relationship with the then-general manager, Gregg Popovich. In one of his books, “Bad as I wanna be”, Dennis Rodman unpacks their equation. According to the NBA legend, Gregg Popovich was the “biggest problem” of the team. Popovich eyed the roles of both the coach and the general manager.
“Mr. Military was going to make me a good little boy, a good soldier. He lost sight of everything else, and then when he decided he couldn’t do anything with me, he badmouthed me and gave me away for next to nothing. Then he pretended it was good for the team,” re-affirmed their tumultuous relationship.
His reference to Pop as Mr. Military stemmed from the fact that Gregg Popovich served in the Air Force for 5 years before his professional roles in basketball.
The Spurs’ spiraling drama with Dennis Rodman
Gregg Popovich would often tell head coach Bob Hill what needed to be done. This had a domino effect on the whole team, recounted Rodman. He said that he would pay the consequences for their drama.
Dennis Rodman made it clear that he had no problems with Hill. But with Popovich, it was a different deal. Rodman felt Popovich wanted to change his personality. He took it up as a “challenge” to “tame” Rodman.
Coupled with David Robinson aka “The Admiral”, Rodman’s place and position in the team seemed like a round peg in a square hole. The Spurs star Robinson also called Rodman the “devil” because of his absence from church. He even said that Rodman was “destructive” to the team.
Rodman only stayed with the Spurs for two seasons. His stint with the Bulls alongside Michael Jordan and his time with the Pistons would remain the most memorable phases of his career. The head coach, Phil Jackson was credited for bringing the best out of Rodman. He would win three titles with the Chicago Bulls. All’s well that ends well.
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What do you think about Dennis Rodman’s comments about Gregg Popovich? Let us know in the comments.
Written by
Edited by
Bagavathi Eswaran