Dennis Rodman: “Popovich, he hated me”

[rogcl1]

This!

Dumb , Pop didn't coach him.

[Vito Corleone]

Rodman is the type of player every championship team need, a hustler who rebounds and can play some salty defense.

However, he was also the type of player that destroys team chemistry and locker rooms. He was always sulking and worrying about money. He was stupid and while in San Antonio was a me me me player and wasn't interested in the team. As other have mentioned he seldom guarded his man and was always more interested in getting rebounds and posing for the camera than guarding his man. His defense on Horry in 95 gave him the nickname Big Shot Rob.

People need to keep in mind that Pop didn't trade for Rodman, that was all on Bob Bass, he did honor Rodman's request for a trade only no team wanted to touch him other than the Bulls, and I think Pop did a great job of gettin Will Purdue for him. Yes we gave the Bulls 3 championship, but we also got our first with Purdue playing a major role allowing Robinson to play reduced minutes.

[Seventyniner]

That's why it should work as a point in Phil's favor. He could deal with those guys. Those players were champions on Phil's teams, they could play for him without being toxic enough to make them unplayable...

Pop was a way better coach but I doubt he could have coexisted with those Bulls/Lakers superstars. It would have been an unsolvable conflict of personalities.

Pop might be the Xs and Os GOAT but he doesn't do high-maintenance.

To me it was always: Pop takes low-level playoff teams and makes them into championship contenders. Phil takes championship contenders and makes them into champions.

[UZER]

Pop might be the Xs and Os GOAT but he doesn't do high-maintenance.

To me it was always: Pop takes low-level playoff teams and makes them into championship contenders. Phil takes championship contenders and makes them into champions.

One can handle big pressure. The other one doesn't like it.

[Russ]

Egos? Inability to control the player? Was he coachable?

The Spurs and Rodman parted ways over money -- it's astounding how fans so often fail to get this critical factor.

[rjv]

doesn't everyone hate rodman?

[ambchang]

Phil was a psychologist. He was good at dealing with egos. That was his strength. Pop would not have done well with Kobe,Shaq,Jordan but neither would he have wanted to coach them. Speculating on how he would have handled those guys is pointless especially considering how Pop will never coach those types of player in the long run.

Pop worked with Stephen Jackson and that worked out well.

The thing with Phil is that he look at short term gains over long term team building. He turned Jordan and Pippen against Kukoc and management to create this tension in the organization. He turned Kobe and Shaq against each other so that they will try and one-up each other. He tends to create this environment where players are encouraged to compete against each other rather than work together as a team, and then he will come in as the white knight to dissolve the situation that he created in the first place to gain people's loyalty. It's no surprise that both the Bulls and Lakers imploded in spectacular fashion. Jackson has no interest in building teams but rather short term success at the expense of long term success. It also speaks to why he is so underwhelming as a GM.

[Horse]

Would've finally beaten Utah he if didn't have his head up his ass.

[SpursforSix]

Rodman retired with 5 rings. That's not an accident. He was a special player.
It might be said that other coaches were able to harness Rodman's talents, whilst Pop's ego came first...

Wrong. He just happened to be on teams that won a ring.

Was John Salley special? Horace Grant? Ron Harper? Robery Horry? Derek Fisher? No. They were all good players that happened to be on teams that won rings.

[TheChillFactor]

Its weird that no one talks about this trade and how it created the 72 win Bulls.

[daslicer]

Pop worked with Stephen Jackson and that worked out well.

The thing with Phil is that he look at short term gains over long term team building. He turned Jordan and Pippen against Kukoc and management to create this tension in the organization. He turned Kobe and Shaq against each other so that they will try and one-up each other. He tends to create this environment where players are encouraged to compete against each other rather than work together as a team, and then he will come in as the white knight to dissolve the situation that he created in the first place to gain people's loyalty. It's no surprise that both the Bulls and Lakers imploded in spectacular fashion. Jackson has no interest in building teams but rather short term success at the expense of long term success. It also speaks to why he is so underwhelming as a GM.

I agree with everything you said. I actually respect how Pop does not put up with bags over the long run. Long term you can't win with these types of personalities and eventually the team will end up being destroyed. Pop is great at building team culture and chemistry that can last over long periods of time.

[ElNono]

Pop worked with Stephen Jackson and that worked out well.

That's selective memory, tbh... Jax was coming from playing overseas and was more or less a nobody until the championship. The Spurs let him walk coz they didn't want to pay him. Second time around, we all know how it ended.

[lefty]

This thread is actually great, tbh

[therealtruth]

Wrong. He just happened to be on teams that won a ring.

Was John Salley special? Horace Grant? Ron Harper? Robery Horry? Derek Fisher? No. They were all good players that happened to be on teams that won rings.

I am guessing you didn't watch those Bulls teams. Rodman was their best post defender and rebounder. They don't win without him.

[SpursforSix]

I am guessing you didn't watch those Bulls teams. Rodman was their best post defender and rebounder. They don't win without him.

I watched all of them. Rooted for them as a matter of fact.
To say they wouldn't have won without Rodman is straight up re ed.

Congratulations on having one of the worst takes on a forum full of takes.

If you're trolling, you win some kind of award.

[UZER]

Its weird that no one talks about this trade and how it created the 72 win Bulls.

That's SA to the NBA for you. Had the Bulls traded Rodman to the Spurs and the Spurs ran off there les, they would be considered co-champions with the Bulls.

[ambchang]

That's selective memory, tbh... Jax was coming from playing overseas and was more or less a nobody until the championship. The Spurs let him walk coz they didn't want to pay him. Second time around, we all know how it ended.

Jackson expressed regret during his prime. He couldn't swallow his pride playing behind many the second time around and was cut. The Spurs still won a championship afterwards though.

[ElNono]

Jackson expressed regret during his prime. He couldn't swallow his pride playing behind many the second time around and was cut. The Spurs still won a championship afterwards though.

He actually cashed in pretty well... I'm not saying the Spurs were wrong in letting him walk, I'm just saying that Pop dealing with Jack is a poor example, IMO... once Jax got the ego he was let go... twice...

[james evans]

In the end Bulls would probably have won those 3 rings without Rodman, they won 3 before him Bulls were stacked so it wasnt a big deal.

they wouldn't have. Rodman was their Ray Lewis in that Seattle series. He was getting under players' skin bad to the point they couldn't even think properly with him on the floor. The bulls were not stacked like GS. They needed that defensive big in the middle for rebounding. Without grant and Rodman, they lost in 95 to Orlando. Don't give me that bull about JOrdan being out of shape. That's bull . Phil knew he needed rodman, that's why he didn't try to control him. Let him party all night as long as he showed up to practice and games. Phil didn't try to control him. When Rodman said, "i never had a conversation with Pippen and Jordan", I 100% believe him. My question to you is who would have filled in Rodman's spot and had them winning 3 straight? Jason Caffey?

[james evans]

I watched all of them. Rooted for them as a matter of fact.
To say they wouldn't have won without Rodman is straight up re ed.

Congratulations on having one of the worst takes on a forum full of takes.

If you're trolling, you win some kind of award.

there is no way in you watched "all of them" and just consider Rodman as "one of the guys". IMpossible. He was a Ray Lewis/Lawrence Taylor/Deion Sanders special type of defensive player. You can't just throw Dale Davis on that Bulls team and they win 72 games and 3 straight. Karl Malone yes becasue he's an all time great. Add in that Rodman and Pippen allowed Jordan to not have to play any defense whatsover during the Bulls 2nd 3peat. The media forgets this. As Jordan was still getting all defensive honors in the league, he played little to no defense from 95-98. Guarding 4th options during their 3 finals appearances. Plus Jordan was aging, but it was disguised properly by hiding him on defense so he could run wild on offense. Don't give me this about Jordan in 97 and 98 when he's guarding Jeff Hornacek in the finals.

[james evans]

I agree with everything you said. I actually respect how Pop does not put up with bags over the long run. Long term you can't win with these types of personalities and eventually the team will end up being destroyed. Pop is great at building team culture and chemistry that can last over long periods of time.

phil won all of his les with bags. 11 of them.

[daslicer]

phil won all of his les with bags. 11 of them.

And Phil is the exception to the rule. I look at the way Phil burned out the Lakers after their championship runs as an example of how Phil can't keep a team together over the long run like Pop can. Phil is an opportunist whose is great at picking teams that are championship ready and then leaves immediately when adversity strikes.

[UZER]

And Phil is the exception to the rule. I look at the way Phil burned out the Lakers after their championship runs as an example of how Phil can't keep a team together over the long run like Pop can. Phil is an opportunist whose is great at picking teams that are championship ready and then leaves immediately when adversity strikes.

Fair points.

To me, their different approach to coaching overall is also why one went back-to-back multiple times, and one never repeated once in 20 years.

[Ice009]

Fair points.

To me, their different approach to coaching overall is also why one went back-to-back multiple times, and one never repeated once in 20 years.

Spurs were two miracle plays away from 5 in a row. No other team in modern NBA was that close to 5 straight. They were absolutely good enough and I'm tired of hearing this repeat bull . Teams like the Lakers got those bull calls to go their way, Spurs didn't. The fisher shot shouldn't have counted and Tim was hacked and fouled at the end of game 7. He should have had two free throws and a chance to win it before it even went to overtime.

[UZER]

Spurs were two miracle plays away from 5 in a row. No other team in modern NBA was that close to 5 straight. They were absolutely good enough and I'm tired of hearing this repeat bull . Teams like the Lakers got those bull calls to go their way, Spurs didn't. The fisher shot shouldn't have counted and Tim was hacked and fouled at the end of game 7. He should have had two free throws and a chance to win it before it even went to overtime.

If we're going that route, Tim's shot went in with .8 on the clock. If the score keeper had stopped it correctly, then the Fisher shot counts.

I'm not saying officiating doesn't have an impact, but at some point, if you win 5 les over 20 years, and never once were able to defend it, that says something about the coach / system. I'm not saying pop is a bad coach, I'm just saying he never defended the le. That's a fact.

For the record, I'm happy with the five. Few franchises have that.