Silent on Isiah Thomas’ Bell’s Palsy, Piston Brother Dennis Rodman Seemingly Resorts to Healthy Route

“Isiah Thomas, Chuck Daly, and I were so close, we should have had s-x,” Dennis Rodman once declared, highlighting their deep connection with his Piston brothers. However, for Rodman, Thomas isn’t just a former teammate but a “brother” and “mentor.” Yet, as Thomas shared the heartbreaking news of his Bell’s palsy diagnosis on Thursday, Rodman has kept publicly silent. Instead, he seems to be channeling his energy into his own health, hinting at his focus through recent posts that caught everyone’s attention.

Rodman took to his Instagram with a post showcasing his age-defying physique. At 63, the Worm flaunted sculpted muscles and a six-pack in a photo, paired with a video where he smashed through cable rope exercises. He captioned his picture, “Muscle Up #active #muscle #body.”

Interestingly, Rodman’s devotion to health is nothing new. Former Chicago Bulls assistant GM Jim Stack once described his jaw-dropping work ethic. “After he would play 45 minutes in a game, he would go in the weight room for an hour-and-a-half. I’d see Dennis in there, and he’s working himself into a lather riding the exercise bike, lifting weights. That always stuck with me. The guy never gets tired. He was a freak like Michael in that respect. He was bionic,” Stack recalled.

But what is going on with his Piston brother? Thomas opened up about his diagnosis on The Mark Jackson Show, addressing fans’ concerns. “I’ve gotten a lot of love from people saying, ‘Well, Isiah’s sick. What’s he going through?’…I got Bell’s palsy…and that’s why you see me like this. So, I appreciate the prayers and the love,” Thomas explained.

For those unfamiliar, Bell’s palsy causes temporary muscle weakness on one side of the face, often leading to drooping. Although typically short-term, it can still be alarming. Thankfully, Thomas assured fans, “I’m recovering,” bringing a sigh of relief to everyone—especially Rodman, who surely hopes his “brother” will bounce back stronger.

Rodman-Isiah brotherhood

When talking about his time with the Pistons, Dennis Rodman doesn’t hold back on just how tight-knit the team was. In a 2022 podcast with Rachel Nichols and Scottie Pippen, Rodman said, “When I went to Detroit; Isiah, Joe Dumars, and Chuck Daly told me that this is a family, and that they wanted to win. Gotta stick together. We were so damn close, we should be having s-x.” Of course, it was just Rodman being his dramatic self, but the message was clear—these guys weren’t just teammates; they were family.

But it goes deeper than basketball. Rodman has often described Isiah Thomas as more than just a teammate. In a 2019 HoopsHype interview, Rodman revealed, “Well, Isiah was more as a big brother, was more as a mentor to me, than anybody. He would leave his house, his family, in the middle of the night to come take care of me.” He even credited Thomas and his family for believing in him when others didn’t. “His kids and his wife…they just believe in me, and he’s just been that same emotional person to me, and I respect that from him.”

However, their friendship wasn’t without its complexities. Rodman’s move from Detroit to the Bulls didn’t sit well with Isiah Thomas. On a podcast, he pointed out, “Dennis Rodman was better than people think…Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, they get Dennis Rodman. It was like, ‘Oh, the Detroit Pistons were bad’ but didn’t ya’ll go and get half our team.” Clearly, the Pistons’ bonds didn’t break, even when basketball politics got messy.