Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman shed some light on his growth spurt on the show Growth Minds with Sean Kim. Rodman was an undersized power forward who was listed at 6?7. But his relentlessness and tenacity made him one of the best rebounders in league history.
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Before picking up basketball as a sport, Rodman was a football fan and player. He got the push to play basketball from his sister who was an ?All-American? in high school. Growing up in Texas, Rodman was a Dallas Cowboys fan. But he eventually transitioned to basketball and had his growth spurt kick in.
Dennis Rodman’s growth spurt in a year
When asked if it was true that Rodman grew a foot in height in a single year, Rodman revealed that he went from 5?7 to 6?7 in a year itself. He said, “I went from 5?7 to 6?7,6?8 in probably a year and 3-4 months.”?As Dennis kept on playing basketball, his body kept on growing as his game grew.
And even though Rodman?s parents weren?t that tall, Dennis really outgrew his whole family by a huge margin. Rodman?s father was 6 foot and his mother was 5?5 whereas his sisters were 6?2 and 6?3.?
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Rodman described his growth spurt as a progression. ?Mine was more like a progression because I was so athletic. So basically I was just growing with my body.? He credited his growth spurt to luck that he went to go from 5?7 to 6?7.
Another legend who saw the same fortune in terms of height was Rodman’s fierce rival and iconic teammate Michael Jordan. During his sophomore Michael was not that tall but in a matter of year or so, he grew tremendously and achieved his 6’6 height making his NBA dream a reality.
Dennis Rodman – An Incredible NBA Career
However, Rodman?s growth spurt kicked in after he made a switch from football to basketball. And after getting a grasp of the sport, Dennis made his professional debut in the NBA in 1986 with the Detroit Pistons. He was the 27th overall pick in the second round by Detroit. Talk about finding an absolute gem in the 2nd round of the draft.
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Rodman then went on to win 5 NBA championships with 2 different teams and was a two-time all-star and a two-time defensive player of the year as well. Despite his height disadvantage, Rodman battled for the rebounds from many great bigs in the league. And he would somehow manage to come out on the top most of the time.?
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Rodman had an illustrious 14-year career in the NBA and was inducted into the hall of fame in 2011.