When Dennis Rodman credited his wild sex life to ‘making up for lost time’ in 1997 interview: “My hormones run wild like the fever of typhus, baby”
Over the course of his 14 seasons in the NBA, Dennis Rodman earned a reputation for being one of the most unique players in the history of the league. Whether Rodman was absolutely destroying his matchup in the rebounding battle or making headlines for his activities off the court, Rodman was one of a kind.
Sometimes he was doing something simple and small, like rocking a freshly dyed haircut, other times he was going all out like when he married himself. Rodman also notoriously loved spending time out drinking, partying, and hooking up. His rockstar lifestyle and bad-boy persona made it so that Rodman was also one of the most beloved players in the league by fans.
In between leading the league in rebounds for seven straight seasons, Rodman found time to sit down with Playboy for an interview. To this day, it remains one of the most candid interviews Rodman has ever conducted. So much so that he spilled the beans on everything, including his sex life.
After admitting that he was a virgin until 20 years old in his autobiography, Rodman explained his current mindstate:
"Well, I’m making up for lost time. My hormones run wild like the fever of typhus, baby. When you live in the community I was in, with no money, and you’re not good-looking. I didn’t have shit.
"Never went to the school prom. I didn’t even like girls. Look, when you are just a motherfucking guy in the neighborhood trying to survive, it’s not a sexual environment."
Despite all of his wild antics and showmanship, there was one part of Rodman's character that flew under the radar for many years.
Dennis Rodman, the nice guy
With his colorful hair, loud outgoing personality, and facial piercings, many assume Dennis Rodman was the party animal he portrayed. The truth is far different, as Rodman explained years after his career during Celebrity Rehab, that he's an introvert who uses alcohol to bring the extrovert out of him.
When people would pay for Rodman to appear at an event, they were surprised to learn that without alcohol, he was quiet, shy, and reserved. As someone who admittedly didn't have a father figure growing up, Rodman used his wealth and notoriety to pay it forward.
In addition to things like dying his hair pink to support a breast cancer charity, Rodman would also reportedly deliver truckloads of toys to children's hospitals. The story didn't emerge until many years after his retirement when it was revealed that The Worm would buy toys for the Boston Children's hospital while in town.
Now, Dennis Rodman has built quite the brand for himself through social media, launching his own clothing brand as the icing on the cake. On top of that, Rodman's daughter Trinity has become the youngest star on the US Women's National Soccer team.
For all the partying he did and the controversy he generated, based on the sound of things, there has always been more to Rodman than meets the eye.