Without question, Dennis Rodman is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He has done and seen it all while playing with and against some of the best.
As far as who was his most formidable opponent, it wasn't any of the usual suspects. It turns out, Rodman boldly proclaimed that Lakers legend James Worthy was the hardest player to guard, per Hoops Hype.
On the N3On podcast, Rodman was asked by N3On made a joke before referring to Worthy.
“N3ON: Who is the hardest player you ever had to guard? The hardest player I had to guard… my lawyer,” Rodman said. “True story. No, I'm good. I know, James Worthy. How about that? James Worthy for the Lakers. N3ON: Damn. Interesting. Dennis Rodman: Always him.”
In the late 1980s, Rodman and Worthy went toe-to-toe. The Lakers and the Detroit Pistons engaged in fierce battles during the 1988 and 1989 NBA Finals.
In 1988, the Lakers won their fifth title of the decade by defeating the Pistons in seven games. The following year, the Pistons swept the Lakers for their first title in franchise history.
During that stretch, Worthy spoke of the mind games Rodman would play. Essentially, saying that Rodman could go up against anyone and take them down both psychologically and physically.
Dennis Rodman had the Mamba Mentality before Kobe owned it
Long before Kobe Bryant made the Mamba Mentality his own, it was Rodman who embraced that philosophy.
Throughout his career, his ability to rebound with sheer relentless and the physicality he exuded came from a deep seeded desire to prove his worthiness.
His insecurities pushed him to work harder and go the extra mile to prove that he belonged. As a result, Rodman would cut his opponents down to size by any means necessary.
The end result was the most rebounding titles in NBA history with seven.
