Hooked by the Worm
Rodman receives rave reviews in Lakers debut
Posted: Saturday February 27, 1999 12:25 PM
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Rodman and new Lakers coach Kurt Rambis stole the show in the Lakers win over the Clippers. AP |
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- Nine months off the basketball court hasn't done
a thing to dull Dennis
Rodman's rebounding instincts. His ability to snag loose balls with the
zeal of a player half his age had the Los Angeles Lakers
marveling at their 37-year-old wonder.
"I ain't going to be doing that at 37," said 26-year-old Shaquille O'Neal. "I
can't say enough about how impressed I am."
Rodman had 11 rebounds and six assists playing 26 minutes off the bench
in his season debut Friday night as the Lakers beat the Clippers 99-83.
"I felt a little shy at the beginning because I didn't want to mess up,
but when I stepped on the court it all just came back to me," he said.
Only Rodman could describe himself as shy. He certainly didn't look it,
with tattoos snaking down his limbs and his famous hair dyed a muted mix of
yellow, purple and black. He would don the multiple nose rings and earrings
after the game.
"It felt kind of awkward," said Rodman, who helped the Chicago Bulls win a sixth
NBA title last spring. "In a weird way, I really didn't want to put on a
Lakers uniform because I've been on three different teams and have been a
winner on all three. Coming to the Lakers is just a different feel."
A sellout crowd of 17,505 put out a welcome vibe as soon as the
part-time pro wrestler stepped on the Forum floor for warmups. Three female
fans donned multi-colored wigs in honor of Rodman's ever-changing hair
color. The fans cheered loudly for each rebound he hauled down, arms
flailing.
"I think they love a person that goes out there and works, that is not
going out there ... to be flashy," he said. "I think they really relate to
me in that way. I like to think that the people in Los Angeles and the
state of California have accepted me for who I am, and I am just going to
go out there and work every night."
Even though he kept the Lakers dangling for weeks while deciding
whether to play this season, Rodman easily won them over. Especially
O'Neal, who wasn't so friendly last spring when he and Rodman mocked each
other publicly.
"He gets a lot of loose balls. That's what I've been looking for, a
player like that," O'Neal said. "You really don't know how good people are
until you get a chance to play with them. He's pretty good and he's pretty
smart."
Rodman's career in Los Angeles began by tipping a loose ball to O'Neal
for a monster dunk six minutes into the game. Although the Lakers were
outrebounded by the Clippers, 48-46, no one blamed Rodman. Instead, his
teammates likened him to a genius.
"He brought a lot of energy and intensity to the game," Kobe Bryant said.
"Something that I think everyone underestimates is his ability to get the
ball out after the rebound, his long passes. He got us a lot of easy hoops
and that's what we're looking for. He is so smart."
O'Neal likes the new arrangement.
"Now that he's my teammate, I've listened to him talk and we've had
conversations," the center said. "He has a lot of knowledge about the
game."
Rodman heaved a couple of 70-foot outlet passes to his teammates for
baskets, but new coach Kurt Rambis liked Rodman's defense.
"We had virtually no work with him, but he's already communicating. He
talks," said Rambis, announced as the replacement for Del Harris just 2 1/2
hours before tipoff. "We have to pick it up on the defensive end, and
that's been his specialty, along with rebounding. We're really counting on
him to pull everybody along."
Rodman pulled in the Hollywood crowd, including director Penny
Marshall, Oscar-nominated actor Edward Norton, Ben Stiller, Richard Crenna,
singer-producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Dyan Cannon. Rodman's wife,
actress Carmen Electra, soaked up the applause when fans spotted her seated
several rows above the court.
"He's going to be a spark for this team, and I'm glad he's here,"
O'Neal said.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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