# Dennis Rodman's Number to be Retired by Detroit Pistons **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 12, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098 "2011-02-12T02:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/1 "2011-02-12T02:50:54Z")
I heard this on the radio…Why? I’m guessing it’s one of the signs of the apocalypse. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/2 "2011-02-12T03:05:47Z")
He was essential to the '89 and '90 championships. He was a very popular player here during that time. Remember, he mainly played for Detroit during his sane days. He went way more crazy when he left. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/3 "2011-02-12T03:23:58Z")
Dennis was still loopy as fuck when he was in Detroit About time. It would have happened a while ago if he weren’t such a huge pain. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/4 "2011-02-12T04:16:30Z")
They got estimates on how much it would cost to have it disinfected so they could reuse it and this was cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/5 "2011-02-12T05:06:32Z")
He was rebounding machine and integral to the success of the Pistons. He should have had his wedding dress hanging from the rafters at the Palace long ago. He was and I guess still is, nuts. That has nothing to do with how well he played. He could dominate a game. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/6 "2011-02-12T05:15:49Z")
Regardless of his off the court antics, _on_ the court he was a perenniel All-Star, a hard worker, a rebounding machine, a team player and an essential part of those two Pistons championship teams (not to mention three bulls teams). I think that as a pure player he absolutely deserves it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/7 "2011-02-12T06:57:03Z")
I have absolutely no idea why you don’t think Dennis Rodman deserves to have his number retired. Just have a scroll through his [achievements here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Dennis_Rodman) Rodman was one of the best rebounders and defensive players ever. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/8 "2011-02-12T14:09:07Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Dennis was still loopy as fuck when he was in Detroit About time. It would have happened a while ago if he weren’t such a huge pain. He was weird and cried a lot, but he was a long way away from the total insanity he developed later. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/9 "2011-02-12T15:51:01Z")
[http://www.google.com/images?q=carman+electra&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=J6xWTZHMKMKBlAfv0\_yiBw&sa=X&oi=image\_result\_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CC4QsAQwAA&biw=1600&bih=799](http://www.google.com/images?q=carman+electra&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=J6xWTZHMKMKBlAfv0_yiBw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CC4QsAQwAA&biw=1600&bih=799) He married Carman Electra. I wish I could have been that nuts. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/10 "2011-02-12T22:03:23Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I have absolutely no idea why you don’t think Dennis Rodman deserves to have his number retired. > > Just have a scroll through his [achievements here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Dennis_Rodman) Rodman was one of the best rebounders and defensive players ever. And he could effectively guard and lock down 4 positions out of the 5. That is no small feat. The quickness to take on a point guard, the strength and length to handle a power forward - quite a unique thing. Funny enough, the only other player that I could come up off the top of my head with (from the last 30 years or so) that you could say that about would be someone who also rivals Rodman’s looniness - RonRon. Plenty of players are/were very good defending 3 - Jordan, Kobe, Teyshaun Prince, Bruce Bowen to name a few, but 4? I may be missing someone (LBJ?), but no matter, it is a very, very short list. He might be the GOAT with regards to that, the ability to defend 4 positions. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/11 "2011-02-12T23:19:13Z")
I have no doubts about Rodamn’s ability and value, but he just didn’t put enough time in with Detroit to deserve this. I feel like the bar for retireing numbers ought to be a heck of a lot higher than that, great players who bounce around to 4 or 5 teams probably are sacrificing the whole retired number honor. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/12 "2011-02-13T03:40:05Z")
Someone should, just curious if he is for sure going to be in the Hall of Fame? ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/13 "2011-02-13T03:51:06Z")
I was going to say that I was too lazy to post a cite, but [I looked it up.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Dennis_Rodman) He won two defensive player of the year awards, led the NBA in rebounds for seven (!) consecutive years. He has NBA Championship rings with the Pistons (2) and the Bulls (their 3-peat). I don’t really care about his turn to the crazy, but you can’t deny the man had some great basketball ability. Tangent: He was on Bravo’s “Poker With The Stars” (or whatever it was called), and both he and Dave Navarro spoke about dating Carmen Electra. They seemed to agree that they both really made that mistake hard. I actually met him once when he played for the Spurs. We had about a 10 min conversation. This was alledgedly when he was full on crazy, but he seemed very polite and demure while we spoke. Maybe it was the big-ass PINK truck. So he’s good in my book. Congratulations, Dennis! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/14 "2011-02-13T12:39:53Z")
From the previous link, this stands out: > [@](#): > > NBA records since 1984—85 > 30-rebound games, career: Five > This is in fact a record since 1973–74. > The only other player to record multiple performances in this era is Kevin Willis, with two. > The only other players to record multiple 30-rebound games in their career, since 1973–74, are Kevin Willis (2), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2), Swen Nater (3), and Moses Malone (2). > 25-rebound games, career: 33 > The most that another player has recorded in this era is six, achieved by Charles Barkley and Dikembe Mutombo. > 25-rebound games, season: 12 (1991–92) > Rodman also holds second, third, fourth and fifth place in this era. > 20-rebound games, career: 167 (159 regular season, 8 playoffs) > Second place is held by Charles Barkley, with 56. > 20-rebound games, season: 39 (1991–92) > Rodman also holds second, third and fourth place in this era. > 15-rebound games, career: 410 (377 regular season, 33 playoffs) > Second place is held by Shaquille O’Neal, with 294. > 15-rebound games, season: 66 (1991–92) > Rodman also holds second place, with 54 in 1993–94. Pretty amazing. My favorite stat there is the career 25 rebound games. I see your point, **Omni** , but this honor is, imho, well deserved. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/15 "2011-02-13T12:59:33Z")
Not knowing my NBA history, wiki shows the Pistons first “NBA” championship was the 89’ season with Rodman and the 90’ season was successfully defended with him. It also shows 89’ with their first “NBA” division title having Dennis. The year he arrived they made it the conference finals which they haven’t been in over a decade, maybe even longer but I don’t understand the past playoff setup. His impact was plenty large for Detroit to retire his number. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/16 "2011-02-13T22:08:33Z")
1. I mean that honor should be reserved for the best players in the history of your team. That Rodman’s number is going up before other piston greats makes no sense. It would be the equivalent of Miami retiring Shaq’s number before Alonzo Mourning’s. 2. He played for them for 7 years, but his career accomplishments were mostly achieved away from detroit. It would be like Rockets retiring Clyde Drexler’s number, who mostly got his career numbers in Portland. While Rodman got 2 rings with detroit, he got another 3 with other teams. 3. I suspect this is just a publicity stunt by the Pistons. Rodman fills seats. 4. He won two championships with the Pistons, but he wasn’t even the best player on those teams. Dumars, Lambeer, Salley, and Isaiah all overshadowed him, and all of them played both sides of the court. He was a roleplayer who spent most of his time playing volleyball on missed shots. It would be the equivalent of the 90’s bulls retiring Randy Brown’s number, a defensive specialist who was brought in to give the starters rest and play press defense. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/17 "2011-02-13T22:50:31Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Regardless of his off the court antics, _on_ the court he was a perenniel All-Star, I suppose that if by perennial you mean twice in his career, Rodman was a perennial all-star. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/18 "2011-02-13T23:28:28Z")
I would argue that Rodman was the best rebounder in the history of the Pistons (as well as their greatest defender). ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/19 "2011-02-13T23:38:49Z")
I think he’s at worst the third best rebounder in the history of anybody ever. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098/20 "2011-02-14T00:50:55Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > 1. I mean that honor should be reserved for the best players in the history of your team. That Rodman’s number is going up before other piston greats makes no sense. It would be the equivalent of Miami retiring Shaq’s number before Alonzo Mourning’s. > > 2. He played for them for 7 years, but his career accomplishments were mostly achieved away from detroit. It would be like Rockets retiring Clyde Drexler’s number, who mostly got his career numbers in Portland. While Rodman got 2 rings with detroit, he got another 3 with other teams. > > 3. I suspect this is just a publicity stunt by the Pistons. Rodman fills seats. > > 4. He won two championships with the Pistons, but he wasn’t even the best player on those teams. Dumars, Lambeer, Salley, and Isaiah all overshadowed him, and all of them played both sides of the court. He was a roleplayer who spent most of his time playing volleyball on missed shots. It would be the equivalent of the 90’s bulls retiring Randy Brown’s number, a defensive specialist who was brought in to give the starters rest and play press defense. Retired numbers All of the Pistons retired numbers are currently hanging in the rafters of The Palace of Auburn Hills, and are also encased on the Pistons floor (on the sidelines). William Davidson, Team owner from 1974–2009. Banner raised to honor his 35 years with the team. Jack McCloskey, General Manager, 1979–92. Banner raised to honor his 13 years as the team’s general manager. 2 Chuck Daly, Head Coach, 1983–92 (never played in the NBA; number represents the two NBA championship teams he coached). 4 Joe Dumars, G, 1985–99; Team President, 2000–present 10 Dennis Rodman, F, 1986–93 11 Isiah Thomas, G, 1981–94 15 Vinnie Johnson, G, 1981–91 16 Bob Lanier, C, 1970–80 21 Dave Bing, G, 1966–75 40 Bill Laimbeer, C, 1982–94 Quoted from the Wikipedia article. Vinnie Johnson? He’s done some great public work, and if Dennis weren’t just “Dennis being Dennis”, he’d almost surely be up there. Rodman should be up there as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-rodmans-number-to-be-retired-by-detroit-pistons/571098.md?page=2)