3. Hall-of-Fame induction/speech
What is one of the most raw Hall-of-Fame speeches in the history of pro basketball, Rodman delivered something that was hard to find among all the Bulls that were inducted within the last two decades. Jordan’s Hall-of-Fame induction speech had a certain edge and aggressiveness to it that almost felt unnecessary given his known competitive edge and tremendous number of individual and team accolades.
Rodman dove deep on the flaws that he had personally both during his NBA career and in his personal life. He also thanked his coaches a ton, namely former Bulls legendary head coach Phil Jackson. A very bright spotlight was shown on Jackson (who coached Rodman up for three titles and three seasons in total) during the beginning of his induction speech.
He also spoke on the role that the Bulls and the Pistons played in his life throughout his career. The Bad Boys were a comfortable spot for Rodman, and that helped him transition into his three-season long stint with the Bulls.
And throughout much of this very emotional speech, Rodman was fighting back tears and discussing his strengths and flaws off-the-court (even with his family).
As a two-time All-Star selection, five-time NBA Champion, eight-time All-Defensive Team selection, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and seven-time rebounding champ, Rodman clearly deserved his Hall-of-Fame induction. He was part of the class of 2011 that also saw Arvydas Sabonis, Chris Mullin, and fellow Bull Artis Gilmore inducted.