There’s no doubting the fact that Dennis Rodman is one of the most controversial figures in sports entertainment history. ‘The Worm’ made headlines during his playing days for his eccentric lifestyle and continues to do so even today, well after his playing days are over. He made an appearance on VladTV recently where he opened up about his personal life and spoke about his father and their estranged relationship.
Vladimir Lyubovny, commonly known as DJ Vlad, first spoke about Rodman’s father being in the Airforce, later on in the Vietnam War, and how he abandoned Rodman at the age of 3. Rodman said, “I can’t tell you too much about that. I didn’t even know him, there was no man figure in the house.”
Vlad then spoke about how he looked up online and found different numbers with respect to the number of kids Rodman’s dad had, he heard 26 and as many as 47. Rodman laughed and said, “All I knew is I was the first one. I read a book that he wrote about me….16 wives and 29 kids, that’s what I heard.”
Rodman finally met his father after 42 years of separation when his basketball team had an exhibition game in the Philippines. His father had been staying there since coming as a member of the U.S. Air Force in the 1970s. “It was great. I’ve been trying to meet him for years. And then last night, boom, I met him. I was really, really happy and very surprised,” said Philander Rodman Jr. He had even made attempts earlier to meet his son back in 2006 in Manila.
“I don’t hate the guy that brought me into this world,” said Rodman. “The fact is, if I saw him, I’ll just tell him, ‘You know, you’re a friend of mine.'” Philander Rodman Jr. passed away at the age of 79 in July 2020. He had set up a restaurant called Rodman’s Rainbow Obamaburger in Northern Angeles City, which had burgers on the menu with green, red, and yellow-colored buns and fries, all the colors his son used on his hair during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls.
R.I.P. to Philander Rodman, father of Dennis Rodman who passed away today at 79 to prostate cancer 🙏
Dennis met Philander for the first time in 42 years in 2012. Philander, who had 29 children by 16 women, lived in the Philippines for over 50 years where he owned a resturant.
— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) July 16, 2020
Dennis Rodman married multiple times as well
While the number nowhere compares to his father, Dennis Rodman had multiple affairs and kids too. Rodman first married Annie Bakes back in September 1992 and had a daughter named Alexis Rodman with her in 1988. He then met model and actress Carmen Electra in 1998 and got married to her later that year, but the two eventually divorced in 1999.
Rodman then met Michelle Moyer in 1999 and married her in 2003. The couple had two kids together, Dennis “DJ” Rodman Jr. who was born in 2001, and Trinity Rodman was born in 2002. Rodman and Moyer officially divorced in 2012. Regardless of how things have turned out for the 5-time NBA Champion, he has lived a life that many can only dream of.
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