Dennis Rodman: Greatest Rebounder Not Worthy of Having His Jersey Retired?

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Dennis Rodman is having his No. 10 Detroit Pistons jersey retired tonight during a home game against the Chicago Bulls. I know what you are all thinking right about now.

You mean he wore a normal number at some point in his NBA career while not sporting ridiculous looking hair?

Yes, he did.

Rodman was one of the original "Bad Boys" of the Pistons, along with the likes of Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, John Salley, Vinnie Johnson and Isiah Thomas. He actually won two NBA championships with the Pistons in 1989 and 1990.

Yet with all of that, and being named as the Defensive Player of the Year with Detroit once, Rodman says that he does not deserve to have his jersey retired by the Pistons.

Rodman says that he is undeserving of the honor because he was not the most important member of the team who won consecutive NBA titles.

When first told of the honor, Rodman thought it was a joke, saying that "I thought it was an April Fools' joke when they called me about it the first time. I was shocked. I don't think I should have my jersey retired because I was probably the fifth most important guy on those teams."

Rodman had a very up and down career. Actually, he has had a very up and down life. He has been on top of the world at times, only to fall to a very low point. He is still suffering from financial difficulties, as he still owes a lot of money in back taxes.

But with all of that, he was one of the greatest rebounders in the history of the game. His offense was underrated, because he focused primarily on defense. But make no mistake that he could score if that was what his team needed.

Rodman was a lot of things in his career. He was colorful (especially his hair), he was controversial (at so many times) and he was the ultimate antagonist (he could get under almost any player's skin). But he was - and is - something more than all of that.

He deserves to have his No. 10 Pistons jersey retired when the team he won two championships with hosts the team he won three championships with later in his career. He was that good on the court.

For more on The Bad Boys of the Pistons, make sure to check out Bleacher Report Pistons Featured Columnist Jay Wierenga, who takes a look at Regime Change for Detroit Pistons? Bring Back Bill Laimbeer!

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