?I?m Making $2 Million and It?s Just Not Enough?: On the Verge of Being Broke, NBA Legend Dennis Rodman Once Confided in Close Friend Before Teaming Up with Michael Jordan at Bulls

Dennis Rodman is undoubtedly the greatest rebounder in the history of the NBA. The Worm helped Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen win their second three-peat from 1996-1998 with the Chicago Bulls. However, Rodman often found himself in the midst of controversies. He was quite infamous for his whimsical, eccentric habits, with the media often depicting him as an outcast. Rodman made it to the NBA with the Detroit Pistons in 1986. However, the five-time NBA champ was on the verge of being broke when the San Antonio Spurs traded him to the Chicago Bulls in 1995.

Following a number of incidents with his teammates, the San Antonio Spurs traded Dennis Rodman to the Bulls in exchange for Will Perdue. Rodman’s best friend and former agent Dwight Manley talked about his deteriorating financial conditions in a New York Times article in June 2003.

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Manley first met the two-time All-Star in Vegas in 1993. Rodman told Manley that he would leave Vegas the next day, but he was still there a week later. So, Manley took Dennis Rodman to a concert and then to a bachelor’s party. Since then, Dennis and Manley started to spend a lot of time together.

Joining Chicago Bulls saved Dennis Rodman from going broke

Dennis Rodman confided in Manley in 1995 that he was almost broke. So, Dwight Manley found a new place for Rodman in Orange County. He also set up some profitable autograph sessions to bring in some extra money.

Rodman ran into his mentor and former Detroit Pistons coach Chuck Daly for two nights straight at a famous steak joint in Chicago called Gibson’s. Daly claimed that he was present during the creation of the new Dennis Rodman. Chuck Daly stated, “Dennis kept saying: ‘I’m making $ 2 million, and it’s just not enough. I have to create a new image.”

Fortunately, Manley’s support and joining the Chicago Bulls turned out to be quite lucrative for the seven-time NBA rebounding champ. He managed to win three back-to-back championships alongside Michael Jordan and became quite an influential athlete due to his on-court brilliance.

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However, Rodman could not keep up the good things in life for far too long. He had to leave the Bulls after 1998 and played two more seasons in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks. While Rodman continued to play till 2006, he played for minor league teams and never made a comeback to the NBA.