‘He Had Problems With David’s Intensity And Work Ethic:’ Dennis Rodman Didn’t Respect David Robinson While They Were Teammates On San Antonio Spurs

For two seasons (1993-94, 1994-95), NBA legends Dennis Rodman and David Robinson were teammates on the San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs went 55-27 in 1993-94 but lost to the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 1994 playoffs. 

San Antonio went 62-20 in 1994-95 and made it all the way to the conference finals, but Rodman, Robinson and Co. lost to the Houston Rockets in six games. 

In the summer of 1995, the Spurs traded Rodman to the Chicago Bulls, who formed a “Big 3” of Rodman, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Chicago won three straight championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998 behind Rodman, Jordan and Pippen. 

According to Jack Haley, who played with Rodman and Robinson in San Antonio and won the 1996 title with Rodman in Chicago, Rodman didn’t respect Robinson. 

“Dennis had a real problem in his respect for David Robinson as a player,” Haley said in Roland Lazenby’s book Blood On the Horns: The Long Strange Ride of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. “He had problems with David’s intensity and work ethic in practice. One thing about Dave: Dave could be the most talented player and athlete in the NBA. … Therefore, he’s not a big practice guy. Not a big work ethic guy. By [January], Dave would have sat out 30 practices. It’s tendinitis. It’s, ‘I’m sore today.’ Whatever it was, Dennis is a practice guy, and it didn’t sit well with Dennis. That caused a lot of problems…

“Dave tried everything … imaginable to bond with Dennis Rodman, to get through with Dennis Rodman to form a friendship. I’m good friends with Dennis and I’m good friends with Dave. Dave would ask me, ‘Why don’t the three of us go to lunch? Why don’t we sit down and try to talk?’ He would try to talk to Dennis about basketball to form a bond. Dennis wouldn’t respond. Dave is very religious. He felt that part of his quest was to get through to Dennis Rodman on a religious level, to try to turn his life around. That didn’t work out at all.”

Rodman finished his career with five championships with the Detroit Pistons and Bulls, while Robinson won two rings with the Spurs. 

Rodman and Robinson are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. 

In 911 games with the Pistons, Spurs, Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, Rodman averaged 7.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks. He won two Defensive Player of the Year Awards and made two All-Star teams, two All-NBA teams and eight All-Defensive teams. 

Meanwhile, in 987 games with the Spurs, Robinson averaged 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.0 blocks. He won one MVP and one Defensive Player of the Year Award and made 10 All-Star teams, 10 All-NBA teams and eight All-Defensive teams.