Published 10/24/2022, 6:30 PM EDT
The 5x NBA champion Dennis Rodman was a menace on the court. He is regarded by many to be the greatest rebounder ever. But despite his on-court excellence and success in the NBA, Rodman was pushed to life’s limits when he came down with depression leading to suicidal thoughts that heavily impacted his life. After being known to be battling with mental demons for months, Rodman was found with a rifle in his car in the Summer of 1993. The news shocked the NBA world when it came out.
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The final years with the Detroit Pistons were some of the darkest years of Rodman’s career. After the resignation of his coach the previous season and the divorce from his wife, Rodman was battling some major mental demons during the 1992-93 season. Rodman hit rock bottom when he was found with a loaded rifle in his car.
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Dennis Rodman reaffirmed that he wasn’t going to take his own life
A late night in February 1993, the 5x NBA champion, Dennis Rodman, was found unharmed in his car with a loaded rifle. Up until that point, many believed Rodman was fighting severe depression. After the incident, Rodman admitted to being depressed but denied contemplating suicide. The Worm reaffirmed that he wasn’t going to kill himself. “Why was the rifle there? It’s always there. I was depressed, but I wasn’t going to kill myself. I was just hurting, ripped to shreds,” Rodman stated.
The previous season, Detroit Pistons and coach Chuck Daly parted ways. Rodman was very close with Daly and considered him a father figure. Subsequently, Rodman and Annie Bakes divorced that same year. The divorce and the separation from his daughter Alexis had taken a toll on the Worm. But following the incident, his life took a 360-degree turn.
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Rodman, following the incident, demanded a trade from the Detroit Pistons with money still left on his contract. He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. Rodman had a career revival in San Antonio; the Worm started performing at an All-star level and garnered national attention.
Basketball: San Antonio Spurs Dennis Rodman #10 w. David Robinson #50 during game. (Photo by Brian Drake/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)His rebounding reached another level and led the Spurs to the second-best rebounding rank in the league. However, Rodman became more eccentric by the day in San Antonio. Tattoos, piercings, hair dyes, partying, and more.
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Rodman later linked up with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in Chicago. The trio won 3x Championships together while dominating the league from 1995-98.