Dennis Rodman Net Worth

What Is Dennis Rodman's Net Worth, Career Earnings, and Salary?

Dennis Rodman is a retired American professional basketball player, actor, and political diplomat who has a net worth of $500 thousand. Dennis Rodman is one of the most dynamic and controversial figures in basketball history, known as much for his off-court antics as for his extraordinary rebounding and defensive prowess. Over a 14-season NBA career, Rodman established himself as perhaps the greatest rebounder of his generation despite being undersized for his position at 6-foot-7. After being drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1986, he became a key member of the "Bad Boys" teams that won back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. Rodman's relentless energy, physical defense, and ability to guard multiple positions made him indispensable, earning him two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Following his tenure in Detroit, Rodman played for the San Antonio Spurs, where his eccentric personality began to draw as much attention as his play. He reached his peak of fame after joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the Chicago Bulls in 1995. There, he helped the team capture three consecutive championships from 1996 to 1998 and led the league in rebounds for seven straight seasons. Though his scoring was minimal, his hustle, toughness, and defensive intelligence were vital to Chicago's dominance.

Rodman's off-court life became legendary, marked by his bold fashion, high-profile relationships, and wild behavior. He dyed his hair in bright colors, wore wedding dresses, and became a global celebrity through professional wrestling, reality television, and his unusual friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Despite his controversies and personal struggles, Rodman's basketball legacy is secure: he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 as one of the greatest defenders and rebounders ever to play the game.

Contracts, Salaries & Career Earnings

During his 14-year NBA career, Dennis Rodman earned roughly $27 million in salary, which would be the same as around $45 million today when adjusted for inflation. His peak earnings came during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls, where he made around $9 million over three seasons between 1995 and 1998. His single highest salary was $4.5 million for the 1996–97 season, when he helped lead the Bulls to their fifth championship. Earlier in his career with the Detroit Pistons, Rodman's pay was modest, starting at just $160,000 as a rookie before gradually increasing as he became a defensive star and two-time NBA champion. Later stints with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks added to his total, though he often played on short-term contracts. Despite never being among the league's top earners, Rodman supplemented his income through endorsements, professional wrestling appearances, reality television, and international publicity deals that capitalized on his fame and eccentric persona.

Financial Problems

On March 27, 2012, Dennis Rodman appeared in court in Detroit to face charges that he owed $860,376 in child support to an ex-wife. Rodman's lawyers claimed that the former superstar was completely broke and could not pay a dime. Keep in mind that during his NBA career, Rodman earned just under $27 million in salary alone. He earned additional millions from endorsements, book sales, appearance fees, and more. He also lost a small fortune in the form of fines and suspensions. After kicking a ref in the groin in 1997, Rodman was fined $200,000 AND suspended for 11 games. In total, the incident cost him $1 million in earnings.

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Early Life

Dennis Rodman was born Dennis Keith Rodman on May 13, 1961, in Trenton, New Jersey. He is believed to be the oldest of his father's 47 children—an unbelievable figure that perfectly suited his larger-than-life story. His father, aptly named Philander Rodman, abandoned the family early and later settled in the Philippines. Rodman was raised in Dallas, Texas, by his mother, Shirley, who worked multiple jobs to support Dennis and his two sisters. For years, he was quiet, shy, and undersized, standing just 5 feet 6 when he graduated from South Oak Cliff High School, where he failed to make the basketball team.

After high school, Rodman worked as an overnight janitor at Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport. During that period, he experienced a stunning growth spurt of more than a foot, reaching 6 feet 7 inches tall. He decided to give basketball another try, enrolling at Cooke County College, where his raw talent was immediately obvious—but his poor grades forced him out after one semester. Rodman then transferred to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, an NAIA school, where he dominated, averaging more than 25 points and 15 rebounds per game and earning three NAIA All-American honors. His relentless energy and nose for the ball caught the attention of NBA scouts, setting the stage for an unlikely rise to stardom.

Professional Basketball Career

Dennis Rodman was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft, 27th overall. What he lacked in polish, he made up for with ferocity. As part of Detroit's "Bad Boys" era, Rodman became the emotional engine of a bruising, defensive-minded team led by Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Bill Laimbeer. His energy, hustle, and willingness to guard anyone from point guards to centers made him indispensable. Rodman helped the Pistons win back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 and twice earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors.

After internal tensions and the breakup of the "Bad Boys," Rodman was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 1993. His tenure there was both brilliant and chaotic: he led the league in rebounds but clashed repeatedly with coaches and management over his increasingly eccentric behavior. His trade to the Chicago Bulls in 1995 marked the most famous chapter of his career. Playing alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Rodman became the perfect complement to the Bulls' high-octane offense, dominating the boards and anchoring the defense. Between 1996 and 1998, Chicago won three consecutive NBA titles, and Rodman led the league in rebounding all three years—part of his record streak of seven straight rebounding crowns.

Over 14 NBA seasons, Rodman played in 911 games, averaging 7.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. He was named to seven All-Defensive First Teams, made two All-Star appearances, and finished his career with five NBA championships. Though he officially played his final NBA game in 2000, his impact on the sport—particularly his unmatched rebounding instincts and defensive intelligence—cemented his reputation as one of the greatest role players in basketball history. In 2011, the Pistons retired his No. 10 jersey, and that same year, Rodman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Wrestling Career

From 1997 to 1999, Rodman moonlighted as a professional wrestler with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). A longtime fan of the sport, he joined forces with Hulk Hogan in several televised events, including "Bash at the Beach" and "Road Wild," often blurring the line between sports and spectacle. He briefly returned to the ring in 1999 for a feud with Randy Savage and later appeared in 2008 on "Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling," winning the competition.

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Other Pursuits

Rodman's fame extended far beyond basketball. He starred in his own MTV reality show, "The Rodman World Tour," and made his film debut in "Double Team" alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Mickey Rourke—a box-office flop that still enhanced his cult status. He followed it with "Simon Sez" and "Cutaway," while also appearing in shows like "3rd Rock from the Sun" and "Celebrity Mole."

In 2005, he became the first man to pose nude for PETA, served as commissioner of the Lingerie Football League, and appeared on UK reality shows like "Celebrity Big Brother" and "Love Island." He later joined "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2009 and again in 2013.

Rodman's post-NBA life also included a bizarre chapter in international diplomacy. Beginning in 2013, he made several trips to North Korea, befriending leader Kim Jong-un and promoting "basketball diplomacy." His presence drew worldwide media attention, particularly when he appeared at the 2018 Trump–Kim summit in Singapore wearing clothing sponsored by cryptocurrency company PotCoin.

Beyond his eccentric persona, Rodman also became an author. His autobiographies, "Bad as I Wanna Be" (1996) and "I Should Be Dead by Now" (2005), were marketed with his trademark shock value—he famously wore a wedding dress to promote the former and staged his own "funeral" for the latter. In 2013, he published a children's book, "Dennis the Wild Bull," offering a surprisingly gentle message of self-acceptance and individuality.

Personal Life

Rodman was married to Annie Bakes, and they divorced in the early 1990s. They had one daughter, Alexis, born in 1988. Rodman married Carmen Electra at the Little Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas in November 1998. Electra filed for divorce just four months later. Rodman married Michelle Moyer in 2003. They had a son and a daughter, Dennis Jr and Trinity. Both children are athletes, with Dennis Jr. playing college basketball for Washington State in 2019 and his sister Trinity playing women's soccer for the Cougars in 2020. Michelle filed for divorce in 2004, but the couple spent many years trying to reconcile. Their marriage was dissolved in 2012.

Rodman's son, D.J., played college basketball for Washington State in 2019 and later transferred to USC. His daughter, Trinity, is a professional soccer player for the Washington Spirit.

In 2020, Dennis Rodman endorsed and campaigned for rapper Kanye West's presidential campaign.

Addiction & Legal Issues

Rodman has suffered from alcohol addiction issues. In 1999, he was arrested for drunk driving and ordered to pay $2,000 in fines. He was again arrested for drunk driving in April 2004. He entered a rehab center in Florida in May 2008. He relapsed in 2009 and refused to enter rehab again after an intervention from family and friends. He did agree to appear on the third season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. He entered the Pasadena Recovery Center for a 21-day treatment. He then entered a sober living facility in the Hollywood Hills. There, he was reunited with his mother, Shirley. They had been estranged for seven years. In January 2010, Rodman was kicked out of a Los Angeles restaurant for disturbing the peace. In January 2014, Rodman again entered rehab for alcohol abuse following a bender that his agent, Darren Prince, reported to be an extent that "none of us had seen before." In January 2018, Rodman was arrested for driving under the influence in Newport Beach and received three years of probation after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges. In October 2019, he was charged with misdemeanor battery for slapping a man at the Buddha Sky Bar in Delray Beach, Florida.

Real Estate

In 1996, Rodman purchased a two-story Newport home on Seashore Drive for $825,000. He listed it in 2004, and the house sold for $3.8 million. He also owned a residence in the Saddle Hill Ranch community in Orange County in Orange, California, that he sold after a year for $1.1 million.

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