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“You Have to Go to Church and Be Like David Robinson”: 5x NBA Champion Dennis Rodman Exposed Why He Left San Antonio in 2017

Published 11/18/2022, 6:50 AM EST

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NBA Legend Dennis Rodman had two successful stints with two different teams. But in between the two, Rodman also had a stint at the San Antonio Spurs. The five-time champ had a tough time at the Spurs and he once revealed why he left San Antonio in the first place.

Rodman was drafted by the Detroit Pistons and he won two titles there. Then, at the Chicago Bulls, he won another three titles. But his time at the Spurs was troubling.

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He got into trouble with the front office and the legendary Gregg Popovich. Rodman was also accused of not being a team player. Along with that, the Spurs were also not happy with off-court antics. They ultimately ended up trading him to the Bulls, where he became a very important player.

Dennis Rodman once disclosed why his move to the Spurs didn’t work

At the Pistons, Rodman had learned how to be a basketball player and he became one of the best defenders in the league. So after the Pistons began their rebuilding process, Rodman was traded to the Spurs. Dennis Rodman once explained why his move fell apart and what the Spurs wanted him to do.

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He said, “They didn’t like me there… In San Antonio, you have to go to church and be like David Robinson. I was like ‘okay.’ So I go dye my hair and wear women’s clothes and stuff like that. They didn’t like that either.”

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Rodman’s first year at the Spurs was at large without controversy. But he had a tough time getting along with most of his teammates. His second year is when his troubles started. He often clashed with the front office and he was suspended multiple times.

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After he came back, he got into a motorcycle accident and was forced to miss a bunch of games. Regardless of this, Rodman won his fourth rebounding title in a row and the Spurs had the best record in the NBA. But his problems started in the playoffs and after the Spurs exit, Rodman blasted his head coach. This was the last nail in the coffin as the Spurs pulled the plug and they traded Rodman to the Bulls. And the rest is history.

Do you think Dennis Rodman could have helped the Spurs win titles? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Vishwesha Kumar

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Vishwesha Kumar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Holder of a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Vishwesha has been writing content for about 3 years now. He has been following the NBA for nearly 10 years, since first starting off in the year 2012.
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Edited by:

Bagavathi Eswaran