Years After Getting $5K Fine, Dennis Rodman Had No Option but to Apologize to Scottie Pippen at 11x NBA Champion?s Direction

It is safe to say that the Chicago Bulls dynasty was heavily represented by the NBA legends Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. While Phil Jackson held most of the credit for making the ‘Big Three’ work in tandem on the hardwood, it was their partnership that led the Bulls to rule the league in the 90s. However, the irony was not lost on them, that just two seasons ago, Rodman was plotting to defeat the Bulls as part of the Bad Boy Pistons. This was why 11x NBA champion Phil Jackson had a condition for Rodman before the Rebound King signed the contract with the Bulls.

Dennis Rodman might be considered a ‘wild card’ due to his controversial nature but he was a substantial asset to have in a team. The 7x NBA rebounding champion was one of the best players in the league at the time and had strengthened the Bulls roster substantially after joining MJ and Pippen.

Dennis Rodman had to offer an apology to a Bulls teammate

During a podcast episode of BTM legends Corner, Dennis Rodman talked about his time with the Detroit Pistons and how the Bad Boys pushed Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to get better and eventually beat them. Given that Rodman later went on to join the team that had a fierce rivalry with the Pistons, podcast host Sean David asked the five-time NBA champ if his initial days with the Bulls were weird. Rodman shared that his first meeting with his Bulls teammates took place at General Manager Jerry Krause’s house. Other than him and Krause, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson were present as well.

“It was so f**king awkward. I’m on my side, Phil Jackson is his side, Scottie is over there, Michael is over there. Jerry Krause, you know little short guy, he’s over there. His wife cooking food for us, stuff like that,” Rodman explained.

Furthermore, Rodman revealed that Jackson had asked him to apologize to Pippen for fouling Pippen when he was playing for the Pistons.

“Phil comes out to me on the patio, he said, ‘Dennis, I just want you to do one thing’. I said, ‘What is that?’. He said, ‘Just apologize to Scottie Pippen’. I said, ‘Really? Okay great’. So I walk inside and I said, ‘Scottie man, you know, everything is good?’ He said, ‘It’s good man. I just want to be a part of this thing, win championships, stuff like this. Dennis, welcome to the team’,” said Rodman.

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After the brief conversation with Pippen, Rodman signed the contract with the Bulls. The five-time NBA champion then went on to win three more championships as part of the iconic trio.

League fines Rodman despite apologizing

Dennis Rodman’s apology worked while signing the Chicago Bulls contract. However, his apology did not save him from getting fined by the league in 1991. Rodman was still part of the Bad Boy Pistons when he faced the Bulls during an Eastern Conference finals. The ‘bad boys’ were infamously known to commit dirty fouls. Therefore, when Rodman pushed Pippen into the basket, the league did not let it slide. Despite writing an apology to the 7x NBA All-Star, the Worm was fined a total of $5000.

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It was the year the Bulls finally swept the Pistons by 4-0. The Chicago team knocked the Pistons out of their championship throne and won their first-ever championship after edging out the Showtime Lakers.