Accused of Being an ‘Absent Father’ by His 21 YO Star Daughter, Dennis Rodman Once Detailed Emotional Unavailability in His Family

NBA’s most flamboyant personality has always owned up to his troublesome history. Dennis Rodman’s 2006 book, I Should Be Dead By Now is a firsthand testimony of his highs and lows from his perspective. One of the most revealing moments in the book reflected on Rodman’s family. He always had a complicated dynamic with his loved ones, and it goes back to his own childhood.

Rodman’s relationship with his children has been complex. His daughter, Trinity Rodman, made no secret about the distance between her and her father. That kind of distance is something Rodman experienced with his own parents.

Dennis Rodman’s estranged relationship with his mother

Dennis Rodman and his parents, Philander Rodman and Shirley Rodman, weren’t particularly close. In one excerpt of his book, ‘The Worm’ reflects on his relationship with his mother. He’s often said his mother was tough on him. But he revealed a feeling of resignation about his family dynamic.

Philander Rodman, an Air Force veteran, walked out on the family and settled in the Philippines. Shirley was left alone to raise Dennis and his sisters, Debra and Kim. She would work multiple jobs to pay the bills and didn’t have much time to spend with her children.

In another book from 1996, Rodman said he doesn’t miss his father. A decade later, he spoke about understanding his mother despite her lack of warmth.

“I could never say, ‘I love my mother,'” Rodman brutally admitted. He couldn’t explain the exact emotions to elaborate but he did give insight into his mother’s nature. “My mother never hugged me, or my two younger sisters, Debra and Kim. Never even gave us a hug.”

Dennis doesn’t express any bitterness over it. He comes across as indifferent and understanding of the burden his mother had, to keep a roof over their heads. “That’s just how she was – I don’t hold it against her. She worked as many as four jobs at once, usually managing to keep us living a lifestyle I guess you’d call ‘lower-middle class.'” 

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He does take pride in him and his sisters making it to college on basketball scholarships. His sisters graduated while Rodman went to the 1986 NBA draft. But his relationship with his mother would remain cold.

Rodman’s relationship with his kids is also distant

Rodman has two children, Trinity and DJ, with his ex-wife, Michelle Moyer. He has another daughter, Alexis Rodman from another relationship. Trinity, who became the youngest player to enter the NWSL, would reveal that her father was largely absent from their childhoods.

‘Dennis the Menace’ was in his “NBA party phase” and wasn’t around. They weren’t living together and would visit him. She said that she had made her peace with it.

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 25: Dennis Rodman attends a basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 25, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images,)The NBA champion also made peace with Shirley’s lack of affection for her kids. “I mean the woman was busy,” he’d reason. “Maybe she loved us; she just didn’t know how to show it.” 

Rodman would see her be down and out on romance too. She’d often get together with terrible partners and cry by herself. Dennis, Debra and Kim were helpless as they were kids who didn’t know what to do.

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His own relationship troubles and his estrangement from his children appears to be history repeating itself. What did you think about this insight into Dennis Rodman’s family? Let us know in the comments.