Dennis Rodman is known as one of the most charismatic, oddballs and freaks of nature the NBA has ever seen. His actions during and after his playing career — from diving on fans in the stands for loose balls, to his incomparable rebounding prowess to his relationship with a North Korean dictator, to the well-publicized drama with his daughter Trinity, a world famous soccer star — have made him a person whose opinion still generates interest.
Dennis Rodman Says Money Players Make Today Has Softened Competition In NBA
When streamer N3on asked Rodman if competition used to be tougher in the NBA, Rodman affirmed that theory emphatically and also offered his opinion as to why.
“Because it wasn’t all about money, it was all about playing, man, you know, it’s the love of the game… a lot of the old players are really bitter, and I’m not bitter, I don’t give a s—t if you make more money than me, I don’t give a damn,” said Rodman, the latest OG legend to enter the new generation’s streaming world with N3on.
Dennis Rodman Says Old School Heads Are Bitter About Money Today’s NBA Players Make: KD vs Sir Charles
The NBA salary cap has exploded in the last few decades, and Rodman has confirmed the fact that some old school stars are overly critical of players today because they are jealous of the $300M max deals that are available. Kevin Durant had a classic battle with Charles Barkley over Durant’s legacy. Barkley, who never won an NBA Championship, has given KD his props as a player, but also refused to put him in a category as an elite No. 1 assassin.
“Until he is the guy on a championship team, we’re not going to ever give him the respect that he probably deserves,” Barkley said back in 2022 about Durant never being the “bus driver” of a championship team. “The game hasn’t changed, Kobe said it, LeBron said it so we’re going to hold him to the same high standard,” Barkley added.
Durant’s two championships came with the Golden State Warriors, and he joined a 73-win team that had already been led to a chip by future Hall of Famers Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. His failure to lead another team to a ring has been a stain on his illustrious legacy in the eyes of some critics.
Durant said Barkley was just one of those jealous old heads. Mad because he doesn’t play in this era and didn’t make the kind of explosive bag these guys are making. NBA players made great money in the 90s in comparison to the average person. But the LeBron James era has brought about a windfall of riches for the league and an increase of salaries this significant wasn’t imaginable in 1990, when the average player earned a little less than million per season . Today it’s over 10M.
“All this sh*t is nasty, another terrible analogy from a hatin old head that can’t accept that we making more bread than them. It’s just timing Chucky, don’t hate the playa,” Durant responded at the time.
Jeff Teague Goes For Kevin Durant’s Legacy: Bitter Old Head?
It’s possible that former NBA player Jeff Teague is a hater as well. On his most recent episode of his “Club 520” podcast, Teague took some shots at Durant’s legacy.
“You know how I feel about Kevin Durant, I think he’s one of the best players ever, but I don’t think he has the ability to take a questionable team and elevate them dudes to a certain level,” Teague said.
Average NBA Contract Today Is 10x What It Was In 1990
While Rodman and others were known for spending lavishly, gambling and living a wildlife, the paper they were spending didn’t last as long. Nowadays, the average NBA contract leads to immediate generational wealth. Longevity is the key to building that billion-dollar empire. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and others have shown us what playing a decade or two in the NBA and maneuvering yourself to the right situation and agency can do for your business portfolio, opportunities and brand.
Players pick and choose when to play hard and load management has become a real thing as staying healthy enough to get that next contract is first priority. There’s also still a high level of competition once the playoffs arrive. There’s still a passion for the game, but it’s definitely a more gentlemanly game than when Rodman was clotheslining dudes, inciting riots, kicking cameramen and flying to Vegas to gamble and then averaging 13.1 rebounds for his career, while playing on two All-Star teams and winning two Defensive Player of the Year awards. His most impressive feat is his five NBA Championship rings, which prove his impact on the game.
Many of the NBA’s past players, from Scottie Pippen to Chris Webber, to Paul Pierce and Shaquille O’Neal have expressed their disappointment with not being able to secure the salaries that benefit today’s players. Many of those past stars also have a platform now and have become even wealthier as talking heads on major sports networks, podcasts and radio shows. Some have used the platform to bash current players rather than give them props for advancing the game and continuing to bring fans into the mix generation after generation.
