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When Dennis Rodman arrived in the NBA in 1985, he was a skinny, insecure kid who wasn’t sure he belonged.
He did but it took him awhile to understand how good he could be.
Larry Bird didn’t help.
Famous for tormenting rookies, Bird ended up with a special enmity for the Pistons rookie, who made the mistake of talking trash about him.
In this video, the narrator talks about the two not liking each other and uses the footage to make clear how Bird abused the young Rodman.
In the end, Bird runs by legendary Pistons coach Chucky Daly - a former Vic Bubas assisntat incidentally and a native of Punxsutawney Pa, where the groundhog lives, and yells at him that he’s too open and Daly should get somebody on him before he kills the Pistons.
That was pure Bird.
Rodman of course carved out a special place in the league, first as a relentless rebounder and defender and later as an equally relentless self-promoter and flake. People eventually tired of his act but he was legitimately great before his interest was diverted.