Dennis Rodman: How good was he actually at his best?

[Phoenix]

Just thinking aloud, can you imagine the level of terror in the 92 Olympics had Rodman been selected and he's out there with MJ and Scottie hounding the likes of Toni Kukoc and Petrovic?

[L.Kizzle]

Just thinking aloud, can you imagine the level of terror in the 92 Olympics had Rodman been selected and he's out there with MJ and Scottie hounding the likes of Toni Kukoc and Petrovic?

That is true. However, Rodman wasn't even an option when they were putting the Dream Team together. His name probably didn't even come up in discussions.

[Phoenix]

That is true. However, Rodman wasn't even an option when they were putting the Dream Team together. His name probably didn't even come up in discussions.

Yes I know. 92 Dream team was more about the biggest names in the league, the A listers if you will, and 'specialists' like Rodman weren't thought of until later Team USA rosters. Also, Detroit's reputation coming off their chips a few years earlier didn't do viable Piston candidates any favors. Some selections and omissions were political ( MJ infamously not wanting Isiah is common knowledge).

[L.Kizzle]

Yes I know. 92 Dream team was more about the biggest names in the league, the A listers if you will, and 'specialists' like Rodman weren't thought of until later Team USA rosters. Also, Detroit's reputation coming off their chips a few years earlier didn't do viable Piston candidates any favors. Some selections and omissions were political ( MJ infamously not wanting Isiah is common knowledge).

Zeke and Nique should have been there. I think Nique was coming off an injury tho.

[sdot_thadon]

Did you see the Rodman episode on 'the Last Dance'? Dude broke down the art of rebounding to a science. Then you understand how a guy 6'6, at most 6'7 was grabbing 18 boards in an age of great centers/Pfs and packed paints.

I did but I remember the bits said throughout the later part of his career as well. Haven't heard of many guys who watch other guys shoot around just to study rebounding angles lol. He was one of a kind.

[sdot_thadon]

Zeke and Nique should have been there. I think Nique was coming off an injury tho.

Right, in real time it was hard to justify Stockton over Zeke and Mullin over a guy like Nique....and Laettner over anyone lol. Seems like they needed to please a specific crowd lol.

[L.Kizzle]

Right, in real time it was hard to justify Stockton over Zeke and Mullin over a guy like Nique....and Laettner over anyone lol. Seems like they needed to please a specific crowd lol.

It was Nique over Drexler. Nique was injured in 91 when the first 10 guys were selected. Clyde was selected after 92 I think.

[sdot_thadon]

It was Nique over Drexler. Nique was injured in 91 when the first 10 guys were selected. Clyde was selected after 92 I think.

Nique was a 3 like Mullin and Clyde the only other 2 on the squad besides MJ iirc. We hadn't started ignoring positions yet lol.

[L.Kizzle]

Nique was a 3 like Mullin and Clyde the only other 2 on the squad besides MJ iirc. We hadn't started ignoring positions yet lol.

Mullin, Clyde, Pippen and MJ were interchangeable. All can handle the rock as well. Nique couldn't do that nor pass like the other 4 guys.

[Phoenix]

I did but I remember the bits said throughout the later part of his career as well. Haven't heard of many guys who watch other guys shoot around just to study rebounding angles lol. He was one of a kind.

Yes, that's what I was referring. Its one thing to understand positioning and how shots will come off the rim ,but he took it a step beyond that.

[John8204]

Zeke and Nique should have been there. I think Nique was coming off an injury tho.

That is true. However, Rodman wasn't even an option when they were putting the Dream Team together. His name probably didn't even come up in discussions.

Right, in real time it was hard to justify Stockton over Zeke and Mullin over a guy like Nique....and Laettner over anyone lol. Seems like they needed to please a specific crowd lol.

So when the Dream Team was put together they had left one roster spot open. It could have gone to several people..Isiah, Zeke, Moses Malone (who was still active), Rodman etc. In the end they gave the spot to Clyde Drexler because he had the best season of all the options.

Chris Mullin was selected because of Michael Jordan. Jordan wanted Mullin and Pippen...MJ loved Mullin they had won a gold medal in 84 together. Patrick Ewing was also on that team and Jordan loved Charles so that was the Jordan lineup (Mullin/Jordan/Pippen/Barkley/Ewing). When Jordan was working on his comeback and shooting Space Jam...Mullin was one of the guys that he called to get back in basketball shape.

Christian Laetner (another guy that ended up being a Jordan guy) was selected over Chris Webber and Shaq. Was it a bad pick...meh it's the 15th guy and if they wanted a spot up shooter he was the better pick. Coach K was also the assistant coach for the team and pushed for Laetner.

John Stockton was an easy pick as PG. The roster was finalized after the 90-91 season...Isiah only played half a season that year. Stockton had broken the 14 APG line in the previous seasons and Magic's season squad was pretty obvious (Stockton/Magic/Malone/Robinson).

Jordan was offered the Captain spot but he wanted it to be himself Larry and Magic. All three guys had issues with Isiah

[sdot_thadon]

Mullin, Clyde, Pippen and MJ were interchangeable. All can handle the rock as well. Nique couldn't do that nor pass like the other 4 guys.

In today's game absolutely, but in 92 not so much. Archetypes where alot more rigid. I'm saying the caliber of marquee player Nique was vs a Mullin wasnt very close. But one thing I was forgetting was when the ACL tear happened. I'm not sure he was available for the summer games and that probably made it an easy choice.

Yes, that's what I was referring. Its one thing to understand positioning and how shots will come off the rim ,but he took it a step beyond that.

Agreed. We need more guys like that in today's game that will work to master less glamorous aspects of the game. And not to discredit anyone, maybe we do and just haven't heard the stories yet..

So when the Dream Team was put together they had left one roster spot open. It could have gone to several people..Isiah, Zeke, Moses Malone (who was still active), Rodman etc. In the end they gave the spot to Clyde Drexler because he had the best season of all the options.

Chris Mullin was selected because of Michael Jordan. Jordan wanted Mullin and Pippen...MJ loved Mullin they had won a gold medal in 84 together. Patrick Ewing was also on that team and Jordan loved Charles so that was the Jordan lineup (Mullin/Jordan/Pippen/Barkley/Ewing). When Jordan was working on his comeback and shooting Space Jam...Mullin was one of the guys that he called to get back in basketball shape.

Christian Laetner (another guy that ended up being a Jordan guy) was selected over Chris Webber and Shaq. Was it a bad pick...meh it's the 15th guy and if they wanted a spot up shooter he was the better pick. Coach K was also the assistant coach for the team and pushed for Laetner.

John Stockton was an easy pick as PG. The roster was finalized after the 90-91 season...Isiah only played half a season that year. Stockton had broken the 14 APG line in the previous seasons and Magic's season squad was pretty obvious (Stockton/Magic/Malone/Robinson).

Jordan was offered the Captain spot but he wanted it to be himself Larry and Magic. All three guys had issues with Isiah

Well if Mj got to pick the roster we definitely know the best available guys weren't selected lol. That's almost as proven as his greatness at this point.

[Nowoco]

Chris Mullin was selected because of Michael Jordan.

Do you have any source for this? As far as I've ever read, the only stipulation Jordan had was not having Isiah on the team, as everyone knows.

As for Laettner, this discussion comes up every few weeks. He thoroughly deserved to be on that team. He was the most accomplished college player of the time by far. Everyone knew Shaq was going to tear up the NBA but the college pick was about what you've done, not what you're going to do. What Laettner did or didnt do in the NBA is irrelevant. People hate on that pick all the time but revisionist history doesnt change the facts.

[John8204]

Do you have any source for this? As far as I've ever read, the only stipulation Jordan had was not having Isiah on the team, as everyone knows.

Yeah I was looking to see if I could find any of the clips I've seen of Jordan over the years. He brings up Chris Mullin all the time in documentaries. Jordan and Mullin started playing together in 81, they won a medal in 84, he was at the Jordan Dome in 95. He even got Mullin and Ewing in a McDonalds commercial in 92.



I also remember a story about Bird getting convinced by MJ and Magic to go even though he was hurt.

As for Laetner they had like five or six guys they could have picked on the short list. Laettener was definately picked as a spot up shooter but it could have easily been Grant Hill. Shaq and Chris Webber were the bigger names those were the blue chippers but Laettner picked for basketball reasons.

[Phoenix]

Practically speaking the final spot shouldn't have gone to any college player, without getting into who deserved it or otherwise. I don't recall if there was some mandate or if it was just a ceremonial position. But Stockton was injured and since politics kept Isiah out, that spot would have been better served on a PG like Tim Hardaway or KJ. IIRC Scottie ended up doing spot PG duties, but he should have been out on the wings with MJ and Clyde, not running offense. Ultimately it didn't really matter because the team was leagues ahead of everyone else, they could have picked someone from the stands for the last spot and it wouldn't have mattered.