"He's lost himself" - Chuck Daly on Rodman's eccentric persona after leaving the Pistons

Yahoo

25-05-2025

When you think about Dennis Rodman and his legacy, you naturally first think of his eccentric off-court persona, wild style, unique character, and ultimate team-pay greatness, which helped Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls three-peat for the second time in the 1990s. However, "The Worm" was far from that person once he entered the NBA with the Detroit Pistons back in 1986.
Under coach Chuck Daly, Rodman went from being a second-round pick to a crucial part of the two-time champions "Bad Boys." Just a shy and lanky kid out of Trenton, New Jersey, Dennis didn't stand out for anything but his defensive play and hustle.
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So naturally, when Daly saw what Rodman had become after his 1993 Pistons departure, he couldn't help but wonder where the Dennis he knew was.
"That's Dennis's problem," Daly says. "He's lost himself; he can't see where one starts and the other ends. He's convinced he has to play up to that. I know that's not him. The shy kid I met is who he is."
Intervention
As the Pistons let go of Daly after two unsuccessful postseason runs in a row in 1992, Rodman felt like he had lost a father. This would lead to a rift between "The Worm" and Detroit's management, as he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 1993.
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From there on out, tattoos, colorful haircuts, various public relationships with women, public scandals, and plain flashy behavior took over his persona, earning him the nickname "Dennis the Menace."
While it was fun, being in Rodman's skin wasn't easy, as he was dealing with money problems, lawsuits, trouble with authorities, and mental health issues, in addition to his basketball career taking a low turn before arriving in Chicago.
However, even after he retired from basketball and the NBA, Dennis wasn't done with his rockstar lifestyle. It got so bad that Dwight Maley, Rodman's image maker, got cornered and started calling people around, trying to set up an intervention for his former client.
"If you see Dennis, please bring him over to my office," Manley says. "'I want to try and set up an intervention. I've talked to Michael Jordan. He said he'd do anything to help, and I'm trying to reach Chuck Daly."
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Related: Michael Jordan told Phil Jackson that Scottie Pippen was the second-best player on the 1992 Dream Team: "He was a legitimate star"
No stopping the party
However, taming the five-time champ at this point was easier said than done. He had gone too far, and it was hard to turn around and change at his point. Even when Rodman would have his down days and regret all the money splurging and party lifestyle filled with various vices, it wouldn't be enough to commit to getting right.
"We went into the back and he told me, 'I'm going to lose everything — please, please help me.' He was crying so hard, the snot was pouring out his nose. I told him to make the first step, to call me, but he never did. He's just a shadow of what he was. It breaks my heart," he added.
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Well, Dennis never shied away or left that image, but thankfully, nowadays, in 2025, he seems to be doing alright and stable. He hasn't gone broke like some of his peers, and it seems he has caught somewhat of a grip on life. All while never stepping away from his bad-boy persona, which earned him the majority of his fame in the first place.
Related: "Don't think! - Chuck Daly's priceless advice to Dennis Rodman during the Pistons' championship years