It’s no secret that Dennis Rodman earned the “Rebound King” title while dominating the NBA with his relentless defense and rebounding skills. But did you know that there was someone who used to humble him regularly on the court? Surprisingly, it was none other than his sister, Debra Rodman. Back in the day, Debra had no trouble beating her younger brother in basketball. In fact, former NBA star Larry Johnson once said, “She’s the best rebounder in their family.”

Before Dennis became a household name, he was primarily known as “Debra Rodman’s little brother.” When Jack McCloskey drafted him to the Detroit Pistons in 1986, Dennis had little to no identity outside of his sister’s shadow. Joe Dumars, who played near McNeese State during the time Debra was dominating at Louisiana Tech, said, “I knew her from way back in college… So that’s how I knew Dennis Rodman—Debra’s little brother.” It wasn’t just Debra, though; Kim, another Rodman sister, was also a star on the court. The family clearly had talent—so were his sisters really better than Dennis?

Debra and Kim Rodman’s basketball career

Dennis Rodman himself admitted his sisters had the upper hand in his younger years. During a 2011 interview, Rodman shared how even with a friend’s help, he couldn’t beat them in two-on-two games. “I couldn’t beat them. They’d take me and a friend of mine out and beat us all the time,” he revealed.

Debra Rodman, standing at 6-foot-3, was a force at Louisiana Tech, where she became a four-year letter-winner and grabbed 1,200 rebounds—ranking second in program history. Then she went on to play professionally in Italy and was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. Kim, on the other hand, earned All-American honors at Stephen F. Austin. Clearly, the Rodman sisters were no slouches.

Larry Johnson, who grew up in the same neighborhood, had high praise for Debra. “She looked like him, built like him… She was a beast. That’s the best rebounder in the family,” he said. So, while Dennis may have ruled the NBA, Debra certainly left her mark—and in the eyes of some, she might’ve been even better.

From lazy to legend

Dennis Rodman’s rise to NBA stardom didn’t start with dominance—it began with defeat, courtesy of his sisters. But it was this experience that sparked something in him. He realized, “If they could do it, I could do it.” However, before that spark ignited, Rodman was far from a driven athlete. Reflecting on his early days, he once confessed, “I was kind of lazy. I figured I’d just work or do something.”

After high school, Rodman wasn’t even six feet tall and far from the standout player we know today. At South Oak Cliff High School, no one saw him as an athletic threat. After graduating, he took a job as an airport janitor, settling for a quiet life. Then fate stepped in. Rodman experienced a 10-inch growth spurt over two years, and suddenly, basketball seemed worth a second shot. Enrolling at Cooke County College, he averaged over 17 points and 13 rebounds in just one semester before becoming academically ineligible.

Transferring to Southeastern Oklahoma State University changed everything for Rodman. There, he shined, averaging 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds over his career, earning NAIA All-American honors three times. In 1986, he carried his team to the NAIA semifinals, dropping 46 points and grabbing 32 rebounds.

This performance got him an invitation to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where Rodman won the MVP award and caught the attention of the Detroit Pistons, who drafted him 27th overall in 1986.

Rodman went on to lead the NBA in rebounding for seven straight seasons, never averaging fewer than 14.9 boards during that time. His 14-year career, filled with five championships and countless iconic moments, cemented his legacy. In 2011, Rodman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Not too shabby for a guy who once couldn’t keep up with his sisters on the court.

Dennis Rodman’s early childhood with sisters

Growing up in the tough Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, an area plagued by poverty, life didn’t start with many advantages. Things only got more complicated when his father walked out, leaving Rodman’s mother to raise him and his two sisters, Debra and Kim, on her own. Without brothers or a father figure, Rodman was left to bond with his sisters, who treated him like one of their own in more ways than one.

During an interview with DJ Vlad on YouTube, Rodman opened up about his unconventional upbringing. He recalled how his sisters would often dress him up in girls’ clothes, taking advantage of the lack of a male influence in the household. “Oh man, that was so gay,” Rodman joked, reflecting on how his sisters had fun at his expense. “There was no male figure, so they just dressed me as a girl,” he shared, laughing at the memory.

However, Rodman didn’t let those early experiences define him. “I really didn’t fall into that mold,” he shared, explaining how despite his unusual upbringing, something clicked for him when he discovered basketball. “I could have gone in that direction, you know, but something changed in me when I started playing basketball.”