Look out, L.A.
Rodman could make debut Friday night
Posted: Tuesday February 23, 1999 01:16 AM
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Rodman is hoping to join the Lakers when they face the Clippers in Anaheim on Thursday. AP |
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- There were tears. There was talk of sex.
There were obscenities. There was flamboyant fashion.
All the commotion came as Dennis Rodman held a news
conference Monday and said he was moving closer to playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rodman, the seven-time defending rebounding champion, said he expects
to be in uniform Thursday or Friday. ESPN said he would practice Wednesday
-- even though the team will be coming off three road games in three nights
-- and make his debut Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The latest chapter of "As The Worm Turns," along with the Lakers'
subsequent 117-113 loss at Denver, made for another turbulent day. But
that's nothing new to the Lakers, who three weeks ago made it clear they
wanted to sign the 37-year-old tattooed forward, a member of five
championship teams, including the last three with the Chicago Bulls.
Dressed conservatively -- for him -- except for a wide, multicolored
hat and dark glasses, Rodman arrived 30 minutes late for his news
conference. He was accompanied by his wife, actress Carmen Electra, agent
Steve Chasman and sister Debra. But nobody was there from the Lakers.
Then came a series of bizarre and conflicting statements. And the news
conference ended abruptly after some 20 minutes with a tearful Rodman being
asked if he had been selfish by not announcing a decision earlier.
Rodman began by saying he wanted to sign with the Lakers, but matters
were incomplete. When angrily questioned why he called the news conference
if he had no announcement to make, Rodman snapped: "You don't have to be
here." Shortly thereafter he said he hoped to sign Monday night.
"Hopefully, I'll be playing this week, and, hopefully, the Lakers and
the people of California will accept me for who I am and what I do," he
said. "If not, I'll move on."
Rodman said he had spoken with Lakers owner Jerry Buss several times
and hoped to sign a two- or three-year deal with the team. He insists he is
in good shape and could immediately play 30 to 35 minutes a game.
He also said he would be reliable, pointing out he played 80 of a
possible 82 regular-season games for the Bulls last season.
"You can count on me, you can count on me going to practice," he said.
Rodman said the Lakers weren't a championship team now and must change
their approach.
"All the guys want to be superstars," he said. "Everybody has to play
a role. This team doesn't understand that right now."
The Lakers (6-5) didn't look like a championship team in their loss at
Denver, which had won just once in nine previous games.
"I'm hoping that this is going to give us a boost, because we need
one," guard Derek
Harper said following the latest loss. "Getting him will help. We need
help as a team. He is a high-energy player."
Shaquille O'Neal
said Rodman will bring defense and rebounds.
"He will open the floor more for me," O'Neal said. "I've been the one
to get to the rebound first, and this will allow me to get down the floor.
I'm sure he will get the rebound. I welcome him."
Rodman said he wasn't returning for the money, pointing out there
wasn't much of that for him anyway.
"I'm not happy at all," he said, referring to the fact that the Lakers
could offer him only a $1 million veterans' minimum, which would be
prorated to under $500,000 because of the shortened season and the games he
has missed.
"What will make me happy is if I can bring this city a ring just like
I did in Chicago," he said. "I'm here just because I want to make people
happy. I miss entertaining. I miss entertaining for the people. I play for
the people, I give the people what they want."
It had been reported Rodman would receive an extra $3 million as part
of his contract with Converse if he played in New York, Chicago or Los
Angeles this season. But he said he was going to have to 'fight them in
court to get that money.'
At times, the news conference resembled an episode of "The Jerry
Springer Show" -- although there was no fighting, Rodman used four-letter
words and made sexual references about his wife.
Finally, when asked about being selfish, Rodman started crying and
said, "I'm never going to win, no matter what I do for this league, for the
game of basketball, I'm never going to win."
Then, opening a piece of paper, he said, "I've got 10 charities here
that I'm going to give $10,000 to. Even with this here, I'm still not going
to win. You tell me if that's selfish."
His sister interjected, "He doesn't have any money."
Rodman then waved off reporters and left the microphone.
Lakers great Magic Johnson, a part-owner and vice president of the
team, expressed relief that Rodman had made a decision.
"I was tired of it dragging on because it was doing nothing but being
a distraction for our players, the coach, as well as our franchise,"
Johnson said Monday in Indianapolis. "We were just hoping this day would
finally come, either tell us you're coming or tell us you're not coming.
"I'm just happy it's all over with. We know he's coming. Now coach
[Del] Harris can get him in there, get him learning the plays in the
system, try to get him in shape as well."
Johnson had criticized Rodman on David Letterman's show Thursday
night, saying he was causing a distraction and he hoped the Lakers would
"just forget it."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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