Growing up in Dennis Rodman’s shadow couldn’t have been easy. The former NBA star’s wild lifestyle and absence left his kids, Trinity and DJ Rodman, navigating life without the usual fatherly support. While their father-son bond is still not normal, DJ takes pride in his ability to shut down opponents, something that comes straight from the Rodman gene pool.

DJ Rodman just proved just how dominant he can be during a G League clash between his Maine Celtics and College Park Skyhawks. Even though the game ended in a nail-biting 112-109 overtime loss for Maine, Rodman’s performance didn’t go unnoticed. The Celtics named him Player of the Game on their social media.

Post-game, DJ shed some light on what fuels his defense. “It all comes down to the scout,” he said, describing his preparation. “As long as you master the scout and know the tendencies, it’s really easy. I take a lot of pride in defense.”

His competitive streak is undeniable. “Even if their best player’s going to score on me, I’m still going to be mad. I don’t want them to score. It’s all about the will,” he added. That fire on the court makes it clear DJ inherited not just his dad’s skill but his relentless determination.

Speaking of the game, College Park rode Keaton Wallace’s 24 points to seal the win. Kevon Harris, Mouhamed Gueye, and Nikola Djurisic also made their presence felt. For Maine, JD Davison dropped an impressive 24 points and 13 assists. DJ? He delivered solid numbers, too.

Two days after his coach Tyler Lashbrook praised him for being “an amazing story,” DJ turned heads again with 19 points, nine rebounds, and three steals, burying five three-pointers, including three clutch shots that forced overtime.

Yet, DJ is adamant about one thing—he’s not living his father’s life.

DJ Rodman determined to avoid father’s flamboyant lifestyle

It’s no secret that DJ Rodman and his father, Dennis Rodman, couldn’t be more different off the court. While the elder Rodman was as famous for his wild nights as he was for his rebounding, DJ has chosen a far quieter path. In a candid chat with Andscape’s Martenzie Johnson, DJ made his stance clear.

“Just because I’m around him doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and party every single night,” he shared. “I’m not going to be a nuisance… I’m going to be all these things that everyone thinks I’m going to be.”

Instead, he spends his evenings playing video games with his girlfriend, enjoying the kind of peace his father never seemed to seek.

Yet, Dennis Rodman’s turbulent relationship with his kids has always been a public story. His eldest daughter Alexis didn’t hear from him for two decades, finally reconnecting when she was 24. DJ and his sister Trinity have made it clear that, despite their famous last name, they’ve built their own paths as athletes, earning everything through hard work. These stories spoke volumes about the distance between father and children, even as they try to mend what was lost.