You’d think winning three NBA championships with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls would be Dennis Rodman’s best memory, right? And yeah, it is. Kind of. “I was riding Michael Jordan’s a–,” he said. But here’s the thing—just because he played with MJ doesn’t mean it was easy or that Jordan wasn’t as GOATed as we all think. Rodman’s the first to give credit where it’s due. He’s got mad respect for His Airness, no doubt about it.
Now, don’t get it twisted—Rodman doesn’t think MJ was the toughest guard he ever had to check. The Bulls and Pistons had a heated rivalry in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and Rodman was a beast in defense. Sure, he remembers giving MJ a tough time, but for Jordan, Rodman “didn’t let him get to me.” Whatever really went down on the court, one thing’s clear—Rodman thinks MJ is far superior to anyone else, especially LeBron James.
While talking on N3ON, Rodman was asked who he’d pick for a one-on-one game—prime MJ or prime LeBron. His reply? “Now, look at Michael Jordan and LeBron at that at their prime, right? Yeah. Hey man, this Michael Jordan was too sexy, man. When he had the ball or something like that, I mean, LeBron is like a goddamn dump truck. What the man? You know, Michael Jordan sit there dancing like barista coffee. What? and sit there and look at you and just keep doing it and make it look so easy. That’s what Kobe did. Kobe did the same thing, man. People don’t recognize. Please recognize the guy, man. Kobe is good. But those three guys, man, so they they’re awesome, man.”
April 27, 2020, USA: Michael Jordan with Dennis Rodman during a playoff game in 1998. USA Image courtesy: Imago
Well, this isn’t the first time Rodman has called out LeBron James. Dennis isn’t exactly a LeBron fanboy, especially when it comes to comparisons between the King and Jordan. The Worm once said, “LeBron is so easy to play. He’s so f—— easy to play. He doesn’t have any moves, he ain’t got no moves. Scottie Pippen would shut his f——- a– down quick before I got to him. His game is too simple; he’s just big.”
So, what is the reason behind Rodman’s reported dislike of LeBron?
Why does Dennis Rodman believe MJ is the true GOAT, and not LeBron?
Forget all the LeBron vs. MJ debates you see online, Dennis Rodman made it clear on The Dan Patrick Show: “It’s really not a comparison. If Lebron was playing in the late 8080sr early 90s, he’s just an average player. But to do what Mike has done, seriously. Michael…what he did is more charisma, more artistic, and stuff like that. LeBron is more like…boom. There’s no flash to his game. He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong. He’s a hell of a player.” To Rodman, it’s not just skill that separates Jordan—it’s that fire, that obsession to win.
On Mike Tyson’s podcast, he said it straight: “[LeBron James] wasn’t bought up this way. I had that desire to win, I didn’t give a s— what it took… For [Michael Jordan] when he came up he had one thing [to do] – ‘I’m going if I didn’t beat your a– and do my job.’” Rodman isn’t just talking rings or stats either. Sure, Jordan racked up six championships and five MVPs, but for him, the story is in the comebacks, the stumbles, the dominance reclaimed. “Michael left and came back,” Rodman said. “He sucked in baseball, he came back in basketball, and won three. No one’s ever done stuff like that. That’s unheard of.” Jordan walked away at the peak, tried baseball to honor his dad, struggled, then came back and led the Bulls to a 72–10 season, then a fourth championship, then a fifth, and finally a sixth. To Rodman, that kind of audacity and ability to reclaim greatness is untouchable.
And let’s not forget what Rodman himself brought to the table alongside MJ. When he joined the Bulls in ’95, he wasn’t just a star rebounder—he became an essential piece of the dynasty. “We absolutely adore our abilities to win,” Rodman said. From 1996 to 1998, the Bulls went 203–43 in the regular season, losing only ten playoff games in three years. Rodman saw firsthand that Jordan’s greatness wasn’t just talent—it was a shared obsession, a relentless drive, and a mindset that left the rest of the league in the dust. For him, the debate ends where it began: Michael Jordan is simply the GOAT.
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