“Poor man’s Dennis Rodman.” David Portnoy bringing down Angel Reese to elevate Caitlin Clark as the ROTY candidate is the level of animosity people have developed in their minds. The statement came in response to WNBA icon Lisa Leslie crediting both Reese and Clark to be deserving of the Rookie of the Year award. Amid such circumstances, 2x NCAA champ and former WNBA coach Cheryl Miller not only shattered Portnoy’s opinion against Reese but also fans’ notions of the rivalry between the two players.

Mark Jackson and his son welcomed the USC icon to their podcast recently. Miller stated she has never seen someone offensively rebound better than Angel Reese. “She reminds me of that mentality of Dennis Rodman. Anything around the rim, loose around that, she gonna get. She gonna find a way,” Miller stated on The Mark Jackson Show. She further denied the claims that believed Rodman had a nose for the ball. The 2024 WNBA All-Star coach believes it’s something in both these players that they find their way to the ball.

As Rodman last played in the NBA in 2000 (He continued playing pro ball till 2006 in different countries), most of the newer fans of the sport might not be aware of The Worm‘s rebounding prowess. Miller believes Reese is helping people understand how good Rodman was.

Further, during the podcast, she also cleared any misconceptions fans still have about the Reese-Clark rivalry. Miller stated the two players, during their All-Star appearance against Team USA, shattered whatever narrative people were trying to push.

“Ain’t no animosity. I mean, it was fun while it lasted, but these guys, all they wanted to do was win. And seeing them interact off the court and shoot around and everything else, it was fun,” she added. Notably, Reese displayed her rebounding skills, while Clark displayed her playmaking skills leading Team WNBA to a 117-109 win against Team USA.

Even the two WNBA rookies have admitted they are focusing on winning and not on the ROTY race. Clark presented her opinion in a media interaction, stating that even Reese would say the same. And in a separate interview, the Chicago Sky rookie actually had a similar opinion. So that’s that for both perceptions of David Portnoy. His bias is based on a rivalry that’s alleged to still exist, and calling Reese a poor man’s Rodman.

Similarities between Dennis Rodman and Angel Reese’s game style

The first similarity is just in the fact that the two are unapologetically themselves. But there is more to it. In terms of gameplay, the Sky rookie is proving to be a Dennis Rodman-level offensive rebounder. Rodman was undoubtedly a rebounding machine in the ’90s, leading the league in rebounding for seven straight seasons with an average of 16.7 rebounds per game.

Known for his relentless pursuit, Rodman treated rebounding like an art form. During his appearance in The Last Dance docuseries, he revealed he studied the angles and knew where the ball would land. Reese mirrors that same tenacity on the glass.

Her ability to predict where the ball will drop and position herself just right has led to her averaging 5.2 offensive rebounds per game in her first 30 games—a tick above Rodman’s career average of 4.8. But it’s not just rebounding. Dennis Rodman was considered ahead of his time defensively as well, guarding all five positions and switching effortlessly. The Sky rookie Reese displays a similar level of versatility.

Having played as a wing in high school, center at LSU, and now power forward with the Sky, she stated, “I can guard all five positions…I love to do it.” Sound familiar? It should—because Reese is channeling her inner Rodman, both on and off the court.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.