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“What the F*ck, What’d I Get Myself Into?”: Dennis Rodman Once Publicly Hurled Abuses on Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant

Published 10/13/2022, 5:30 PM EDT

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Dennis Rodman is a unique NBA figure, to say the least. He had a very successful professional career, in which he was a part of there of the most successful dynasties in NBA history – the Pistons of the late 80s, the Bulls’ Michael Jordan era, and the Lakers’ Shaq-Kobe era. While Rodman won five championships with the Pistons and Bulls, his Lakers career lasted just 23 games. Rodman didn’t quite get along with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant at the Lakers.

Rodman was not able to replicate the same success he had with the Pistons and the Bulls with the Lakers. Moreover, during his short stint in LA, he couldn’t form a good relationship with Shaq and Kobe.

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Dennis Rodman, who Was Tired of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s “B*tching”, Once Lead an Abuse Laced Bashing about the 20 Year Old Lakers Star

It is often said that Shaq and Kobe, themselves didn’t see eye to eye when they played together with the Lakers. Rodman could be anything but a mediator, and he got tired of Shaq and Kobe’s differences. Rodman was fed up with all the drama within the franchise and went on a gambling trip to Vegas with the Lakers owner, Jerry Buss.

Dennis Rodman got tired of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s feud

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal‘s feud is an infamous one. Despite so much happening off the court, they managed to help the Lakers win a three-peat in the early 2000s. When Dennis Rodman joined the purple and gold, he got tired of their differences and hurled abuses at both.

 “I told the team, I said, ‘I got to take a break, I can’t deal with this,'” Rodman told HoopsHype.

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“I wasn’t used to people coming in the locker room, being a b*tch, b*tching, doing this, b*tching in the locker room, b*tching on the bus, b*tching on the plane, I mean, ‘God Damn! Man, what the f*ck, what’d I get myself into?’”

“I’m used to people going on the bus, p*ssing and complaining about, ‘What sh*t, I could’ve played. G*dd*mmit.’ Stuff like that, but that got to me, and I just took a break, and me and Jerry Buss went to Vegas.”

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Rodman featured in just 23 games for the Lakers during the 1998-99 season. He had signed on a pro-rated salary and was released in the off-season. Rodman then signed with the Mavericks for the 1999-2000 season.

WATCH THIS STORY: Who is Luke Walton? What Did He Say About Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal?

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Shaq and Kobe Bryant had their differences. But it all worked out on the court as they were a force to reckon with. They formed an elite partnership on the court and won three straight championships together.

Later, after Shaq’s departure from the Lakers, they became close friends.

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Written by:

Abhishek Singh

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Abhishek Singh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with over two years of journalistic experience with Chase Your Sport and Dribl. A Football Management graduate, he has previously interned in the Indian Super League, I-League and the AFC Champions League. In addition to being a Michael Jordan fan, Abhishek is an ardent Steph Curry and Warriors guy, and believes they have a few more championships in store before the former retires.
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Edited by:

Pritam Priyedarshi