Many people were convinced that Dennis Rodman would ruin the Chicago Bulls with his mere presence, especially after his tumultuous stint with the San Antonio Spurs , which featured tiffs with Gregg Popovich and David Robinson. Given his rivalry with the Bulls during his time with the Detroit Pistons , they feared how the locker room — most notably Michael Jordan — would welcome the controversial forward.
But Jordan himself didn't rush to judgment.
Jordan was well aware of Rodman 's résumé. At that point, the latter already had two NBA championships, two Defensive Player of the Year trophies, four consecutive rebounding titles and six NBA All-Defensive First Team selections. So, even though he was skeptical about the fit, the Bulls legend was willing to give it a chance.
"I didn't really know his attitude, if his desire to win would be strong enough to accept the system that we have here," he said in 1995, via the Los Angeles Times. "He's still got a lot to learn about the system, but his enthusiasm, his work ethic —it's not surprising, but it's welcome."
Jordan acknowledged that Rodman could be difficult to rein in if he lost his temper or decided to antagonize referees. Still, he emphasized that it was too early to judge and preferred to see what Rodman brought to the court first. Any off-court issues, he noted, would be dealt with later.
For years, Rodman tortured the Bulls — particularly Jordan — in the playoffs. The former Pistons forward religiously followed coach Chuck Daly's "Jordan Rules," which, among other things, bluntly stated that he should throw the Bulls guard to the ground the moment he entered the paint.
Rodman also infamously fouled Scottie Pippen so hard that the small forward received six stitches in the jaw.
Addressing Rodman's history with the Bulls, MJ dismissed such concerns and insisted their relationship would remain purely professional. With the team's success as the priority, any personal animosity would have to be put aside for the benefit of the collective.
"I mean, we've talked, but in terms of just sit down and iron things out? Nah. I don't know if that's going to happen," Jordan said. "I mean, I think we respect each other as professionals. So we may not know each other from a personal standpoint. . . . I don't think either one of us wants to make that approach."
This decision paid off for Jordan and Rodman's chemistry. In their first season together, they helped the Bulls win a then-record 72 games. Michael won his fourth MVP award, while Dennis was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the seventh time. Chicago reestablished itself as the league's dominant force by winning the 1996 NBA championship.
Over time, the two got to know each other better. Jordan admitted that their conversations mostly revolved around basketball — and he was completely fine with it. But from time to time, things got personal, and he didn't mind lending his ear to Rodman.
"Frankly, they're more about basketball than anything else because that's the one area of common ground we share," Jordan said. "But he has opened up a lot to me during the season, which I didn't necessarily expect, and I do like him."
What once seemed like an impossible pairing became one of the most effective partnerships in NBA history, resulting in two more NBA championships in the two seasons that followed. The two never became best friends, but they respected each other enough on the court to reach basketball immortality.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
