Hot Corner: Dennis Rodman says Hall wormed $25K out of him
BY LACY J. BANKS lbanks@suntimes.com August 11, 2011 10:56PM
Dennis Rodman puts on a Basketball Hall of Fame jacket with help from president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame John L. Doleva during a news conference at the Hall in Springfield, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011. Rodman will be inducted on Friday. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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Updated: November 16, 2011 1:24AM
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Former Bulls forward Dennis Rodman, with his hair dyed red, multiple piercings and tattoos, said he hasn’t prepared a written acceptance speech when he is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday night.
“I’m just going to wing it,” he said after receiving his Hall of Fame blazer Thursday. “I’m just going to go up there and talk.”
Will he cuss?
“Well, I can say ‘damn,’ right? Or you ‘son of a bitch.’ They say that on TV, right? I’m not going to cuss. I’m going to keep it clean. But maybe a couple of words may slip out.”
On Michael Jordan
“MJ is the only player to have his own wing [in the Hall of Fame]. I’ll be lucky to get a 10-by-10.”
On being coached by Chuck Daly, Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson and
Don Nelson
“If I could cremate all four guys, you could blend them to get the perfect coach.”
On being presented by Jackson
“I didn’t select him. He selected himself. I wanted my son, DJ, to present me. But they said it had to be a Hall of Famer. Phil called, said, ‘Dennis, I’m going to [present] you at the Hall of Fame.’ I said, ‘OK.’ ”
The main regret of his career
“That I wasn’t a better father to my [three] kids. Just be there [for them] instead of being selfish, the clown, the jester, the look-at-me.”
Does he feel he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame?
“No. I never played to be here. I’d rather somebody else be here. I don’t need this. It means nothing to me. I’m getting into the Hall of Fame for averaging five points [actually 7.3]. Plus, I had to pay them $25,000 to bring in family and friends. So I’m paying them to put me in the Hall and say good things about me.”
On the NBA lockout
“They’re $500 million apart. I don’t think there’ll be a season unless the players give up a whole lot.”
