Dennis Rodman was one of the most important personalities in the history of the NBA. However, he found a successor in 2014 with JR Smith!
There are many important personalities who have passed through the ranks of the NBA. Highly regarded figures like Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are just a few.
However, there are also some superstars who come into the league with a ‘bad boy’ reputation. Recent times see highly controversial figures like the Ball family in the NBA, but in the old days perhaps the most notorious figure the league had ever seen was Dennis Rodman.
The 6’7″ forward was an absolute menace both on and off the pitch. His antics were so insane that The Worm has been arrested over 100 times and fined over $100,000 over the course of his career.
25 years ago today, Dennis Rodman’s infamous kick to a cameraman’s groin.
Worm paid the cameraman $200K, was fined $25K by the NBA, and lost about a million dollars in salary due to an 11-GM suspension
📼 @Oldskoolbball2
pic.twitter.com/lhqQatA8Si
– Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 15, 2022
Also read: Former $10 million Lakers star increased Dennis Rodman’s arrest count by more than 500
With a rap sheet like that, it’s hard to imagine someone taking his place. However, Rodman himself crowned someone as his successor.
Rodman dubbed JR Smith the NBA’s new ‘Dennis Rodman’ in 2014
Today, the NBA pays close attention to the status and reputation of its superstars. Even the slightest form of degradation can have drastic consequences.
However, that hasn’t stopped some slightly questionable characters from showing up. In fact, in 2014, Phil Jackson felt that one of his players, JR Smith, was a lot like Rodman.
Some of the similarities are uncanny.
From the fines to the excessive number of tattoos. The comparisons reached such a point that even the Worm himself baptized JR as the new ‘Dennis Rodman’ of the league.
Sending love to the zen master @PhilJackson11 and the @nyknicks for this season Good luck to @therealjrsmith who is the new dennis rodman
—Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) October 15, 2014
They may share similarities in appearance and attitude, but there is an obvious lack of cutlery.
Also read: Michael Jordan told Dennis Rodman, who took 30 photos of Jager every day, to take it easy.
