One of the greatest sports dynasties ever, the Chicago Bulls, captured global attention with their reign over the NBA during the 90s. While Michael Jordan played the lead protagonist, the supporting cast of Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman had pivotal roles.
Making a comeback after retirement in 1995, “His Airness” would lead the Bulls to another three-peat between 1996 and 1998. Popularly known as “The Last Dance,” the 1997-98 season served as the final chapter of the dynasty, courtesy of the internal turmoil.
Advertisement
Winning their sixth championship in 1998, the roster would soon head towards a rebuild. With Phil departing, the Big 3 of MJ, Scottie and Dennis also went their separate ways. A year later, Jordan appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, addressing the “Zen Master’s” potential return to coaching and “The Worm” following his former Bulls coach.
“I think he’s going to coach again. I don’t know when. I got a feeling though if Phil coaches again, you’re going to see Dennis Rodman somewhere around. Yeah, he’s the only one that can control Dennis,” revealed Jordan, who played three seasons with “The Worm.”
MJ and Dennis won three championships together, but they were never really friends, keeping their interactions limited to the court and basketball-related topics. They have completely different personalities as Rodman was a party animal who still delivered on the court despite of it, while Mike was a perfectionist focused only on basketball during the season and nothing else. He demanded the same excellence from his teammates which often led to conflicts as MJ led his team with an iron fist.
The “Zen Master” effect
Traded to the Bulls ahead of the 1995-96 season, Rodman’s eccentric ways of functioning were no secret. Whether it was his outfits, nightclub visits, or high-profile affairs, “The Worm” never ceased to make headlines. However, the overnight drinking and notorious escapades to Las Vegas had become a matter of concern, with Phil finally pulling the two-time DPOY aside.
Advertisement
In an emotional conversation between the coach-player duo, Phil told Dennis how he didn’t want him to die. The 1996 COTY’s concerns touched the seven-time rebounding champion deeply, who began viewing “The Zen Master” as a father figure. As a result, the player-coach duo achieved great success, three-peating between 1996 and 1998.
What made the bond between the two Hall of Famers even more special was Phil not trying to change Dennis and letting him be who he wanted. Phil had figured out the route to extract the maximum output from “The Worm” on the hardwood.
Going separate ways after the 1997-98 season
The Bulls released Dennis midway through the 1998-99 season. The veteran forward ended up signing with the Lakers for the remainder of the season and was released during the off-season. Playing his final season with the Mavericks, “The Worm” made things difficult for the roster with his erratic behavior and mannerisms.
Advertisement
As Jordan had predicted, Phil made his coaching comeback in 1999, signing with the Lakers. Producing results from the get-go once again, “The Zen Master” guided the legendary Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant duo to their first NBA championship in 2000. Delivering the “Purple and Gold” franchise a total of five championships between 2000 and 2009, the former player turned coach now embarked on the executive journey.
Unfortunately, Phil’s stint as an executive is best forgotten, given how things transpired within the New York Knicks during his time as President of Basketball Operations. Observing the challenges his former coach endured, Dennis voiced his support towards “The Zen Master,” offering to be the Knicks coach, even highlighting his decorated resume. Phil never really considered that, but maybe he should’ve, given how the Knicks were a catastrophe during his leadership there.