Drop the name Dennis Rodman to any basketball fan who lived through the 80s and 90s.
Immediately they will conjure up a mental image of a tattooed man with brightly-dyed hair that dominated the NBA defensive game amongst some of the greatest players of that time.
At the pinnacle of his career, Dennis Rodman ruled the court with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippin to lead the Chicago Bulls to repeated victories. But the Bulls were not the only team that benefited from the skill and passion Rodman brought to the game.
Rodman also wore jerseys for The Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, LA Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks. Hailed by Sports Illustrated as a basketball genius, he led the NBA in rebounding for seven consecutive years and helped lead his teams to five NBA championships.
Although basketball brought him to the forefront of media attention, he’s much more than just a retired basketball player. When the tenacious star sat down with Jay Shetty on an episode of his podcast, talk quickly turned from Rodman’s passionate love of the game to where he is in life these days, and how he defines himself.
Rodman is uniquely introspective and never shy to speak his mind, and his conversation with Jay Shetty is honest and vulnerable. Their refreshing exchange is indicative of Rodman’s essence. He’s always himself, never ashamed of his truth, and forever haunted by how he can improve.
Who is Dennis Rodman?
“I want to hear it in your own words,” said Jay Shetty, as he shifted focus from small talk to the real reason for their meeting, “because, I think, when anyone is as in the public eye as you are, everyone has their version of who they think that person is. But what I’m interested in is, who is Dennis Rodman in the current version of how you see yourself?”
“It’s very difficult to explain who I really am,” Rodman told Jay Shetty. “In the beginning, I was such a good and diverse individual, but now it’s more like people expect me to do something great, to do something really big.”
As evidenced by his unlikely friendship with Kim Jong-Un and his early and outspoken support for the LGBTQ community, Rodman steps into unlikely spaces. He considers himself a “bridge man”. He takes pride in the fact that his pushing the envelope connects people, but also takes them by surprise.
What Drives Him?
“When you’ve done so much in your life, it’s hard to really wake up in the morning and wonder what can you do that’s different, that’s gonna excite your life every day,” Rodman told Jay Shetty. “You know, a lot of people say I’ve done everything in the world.”
He admits that it is sometimes hard to drown out the noise of the outside world and come to terms with his inner demons. Rodman told Jay Shetty that he has been on this journey of peace and self discovery much of his life.
