It takes a team to win a championship, and it takes a core to build a dynasty. One guy, no matter how good he is, cannot win in the NBA without his fellow teammates doing their job. While history remembers the stars, the record books remember the players who made an impact, no matter how big or small.
How many NBA titles does Dennis Rodman have? Dennis Rodman won 5 NBA titles in his 14-season NBA career. Rodman won his first two titles with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990, then won his other three titles with the Chicago Bulls in 1996, 1997, and 1998. He is only 1 of 26 players to have won 5 or more NBA titles in their careers.
How did Dennis Rodman win 5 NBA titles?
Rodman had a very unconventional path to the NBA. He was not a good player even at the high school level and didn’t play Division I college basketball, even working as a janitor at an airport. However, Rodman found himself drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1986. While he wasn’t a starter in the beginning of his career, he played a pivotal role on the bench. A great fit for the “Bad Boy” Pistons, Rodman showcased great defense and rebounding, as well as a high level of toughness and hustle.
The Pistons won a title in 1989 with Rodman as a solid contributor off the bench, particularly on the defensive end. Rodman made more headway as a starter in the second half of the following season, where his defensive prowess earned him the Defensive Player of the Year and helped the Pistons win the 1990 NBA Finals as well. The next two seasons saw Rodman, now a starter for the Pistons, cement his place in the league, not only as a defensive master (he won the DPOY award in 1991 as well), but as a ferocious rebounder of the ball, winning 7 straight rebounding titles from 1992 to 1998.
The end of the 1992-93 season saw a remarkable shift in Rodman, both in his personal life and resultantly in his professional life. He became the Rodman most are familiar with today: outlandish, eccentric, and aggressive. After being traded to the Spurs, Rodman was still an excellent player, but fights, suspensions, and unprofessional behavior became a lot more common from him. An unsuccessful stint with the Spurs saw him traded to the Chicago Bulls for the 1995-96 season.
Joining Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and coach Phil Jackson, Rodman was ever so slightly kept in check. The Bulls, who had won 3 championships earlier that decade and had Jordan return from retirement, found Rodman to be an excellent fit for the team. Rodman played his role as best as he could, and the results paid off: another 3 championships for the Bulls, all in a row. After winning his 5th championship in 1998, Rodman joined the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks for short stints but didn’t get another ring for the remainder of his NBA career.
Rodman was the quintessential role player, who didn’t want the glory on the court (his on-court personality and style was very different from his flamboyant personal life). He was the ultimate hustle player, fighting for loose balls, playing hard defense, and always challenging bigger and better players for the rebound. With him on the court, guys like Michael Jordan and Isaiah Thomas could take on the scoring and playmaking duties, knowing that Rodman could take care of the rest. It’s why he was able to be such an impactful contributor on two great basketball teams.
Which NBA player has won the most NBA titles?
The legendary Bill Russell holds the record for the most NBA titles won, with an astounding 11 NBA titles. Bill Russell was the defensive anchor of the Boston Celtics dynasty that dominated the NBA in the 1960s. Bill Russell has more NBA rings than fingers; there’s a famous picture of him having to hold all of his rings in his hands!
In the modern era, it may be next to impossible for a player to even match Russell’s record. The runner-ups for the records are all of Russell’s teammates from that era, many of whom have 8 rings or more. The closest anyone has gotten since is Robert Horry, with 7 rings won in the 1990s and 2000s.
Which NBA team has won the most NBA titles?
The fierce rivalry of the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers is deep, and one aspect that the two great franchises continue to fight over is the record for the franchise with the most NBA titles. Both franchises are tied for 17 NBA titles each as of now.
The Lakers were the first of the two with a hot start, winning 5 championships before the Celtics won any. The Bill Russell-led Celtics then completely dominated the league, winning 11 titles and leaving the Lakers winless in that period. The Magic vs Bird era in the 1970s and 1980s led to both franchises trading championships back and forth, and is where the rivalry really heated up as they used to face each other in the Finals.
The 1990s were quiet for both franchises, and the turn of the century saw the Lakers win 5 titles with Kobe at the helm. The rivalry was revitalized around 2008, when the Celtics beat the Lakers. The Lakers got their revenge in 2010, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The Celtics have been winless since 2008, having lost as recently as the 2022 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers have also struggled since, although they were the most recent between the two franchises to win an NBA title: the 2020 NBA title led by LeBron James.
Rodman is best remembered for his off-the-court antics and eccentric personality. Nevertheless, he was an incredible basketball player when it came to his unique skill set. Rodman was a passionate player who played his role extremely well, making him the consummate teammate on the floor. His games often resulted in a lopsided statline that still wasn’t indicative of the effort and impact he would have on the floor every night. Rodman was instrumental to both the Pistons’ repeat and the Bulls’ 3 peat, and his 5 rings will forever earn him a place in the NBA lore.