Net Worth: $500 Thousand
What Is Dennis Rodman’s Net Worth?
ChinaImages / Depositphotos.comDennis Rodman’s net worth is estimated to be $500,000, a far cry from the $27 million he earned in NBA salary during his professional basketball playing days.
At the height of his playing career Rodman was one of the best defensive players in the National Basketball Association, playing for the Detroit Pistons in the 1980s and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s.
Known for his lavish lifestyle, and raucous behavior both on and off the court, Rodman fell from grace after becoming the 10th highest-paid player during the 1996 to 1997 season when he earned $9 million.
Here’s how Dennis Rodman’s net worth reached into the millions before falling off a cliff of his own making.
How Much Did Dennis Rodman Earn In The NBA?
featureflash / Depositphotos.comWhen Dennis Rodman joined the NBA he was paid just $75,000 during his rookie season or the equivalent of $217,714 today. Rodman’s salary was determined by his draft pick status, going #27 overall in the second round of the 1986 NBA draft.
By season two of his career, Rodman’s salary had more than doubled and within four years he was earning over $1 million per season.
Here’s a breakdown of how Dennis Rodman’s net worth increased by $27 million during 12 seasons of play.
| NBA Season | Total Salary |
|---|---|
| 1986-87 | $75,000 |
| 1987-88 | $160,000 |
| 1990-91 | $880,000 |
| 1991-92 | $1,075,000 |
| 1992-93 | $2,350,000 |
| 1993-94 | $2,450,000 |
| 1994-95 | $2,500,000 |
| 1995-96 | $2,500,000 |
| 1996-97 | $9,000,000 |
| 1997-98 | $4,600,000 |
| 1998-99 | $1,000,000 |
| 1999-00 | $441,176 |
| Est. Earnings (12 seasons) | $27,031,176 |
Although Dennis Rodman is best known for his playing time with the Pistons and Bulls he also spent two seasons in San Antonio from 1993 to 1995. He was eventually traded to Chicago for Will Perdue, In his two years with the Spurs, Rodman played well, averaging a double-double of 11.8 points and 13 rebounds per game.
Rodman was signed by both the Los Angeles Lakers and then the Dallas Mavericks following his time in Chicago but he failed to impress his new employers and on March 8, 2000, he was waved by Dallas. Despite several more attempts at reigniting his professional basketball career, Rodman officially announced his retirement on November 1, 2006.
Rodman Earned Money As A Professional Wrestler
s_bukley / Depositphotos.comWrestling Career
While still playing in the NBA the rowdy defensive player attempted to jumpstart a career in professional wrestling. Rodman joined the WCW and held his firth match at the 1997 Bash at the Beach event. While Rodman teamed up with Hulk Hogan, they lost to Lex Lugar and The Giant.
Rodman would continue to take part in WCW event, including the e i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling pay-per-view event where he lost to Curt Henning.
Rodman retired from wrestling in July 2000 but reappeared for an event in 2008 to appear as a contestant on Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling broadcast. While he won that event, his wrestling career stalled and Rodman was never able to make a proper name for himself in wrestling.
It’s not clear how much Rodman earned from his wrestling career, but given his sporadic appearances, it was likely in the low six figures.
Dennis Rodman Tried To Become A Movie Star
ChinaImages / Depositphotos.comDennis Rodman’s net worth was likely helped along when he started in three movies and a season of his own MTV reality show that aired in 1996. The Rodman World Tour didn’t resonate with TV viewers, and it was quickly canceled.
Rodman’s first movie was also a failed experiment with critics and audiences. The 1997 film “Double Team” failed at theaters and earned three Golden Raspberry Awards for its poor acting and production value.
In 1999, Rodman tried his luck again in “Simon Sez” followed by “Cutaway” in 2000. Neither movie found critical success which marked the end of Rodman’s failed movie career.
Rodman did continue to act in the years ahead, appearing only in small roles for TV shows such as “3rd Rock from the Sun.”
Dennis Rodman Earned From Product Endorsements
Dennis Rodman’s net worth increased by at least $12 million thanks to Converse. In 1997, Rodman signed a deal with Converse that would pay him $15 million over three years. The deal required him to wear Chuck Taylor All Star’s when he wasn’t playing. Converse attempted to end the contract one year before its completion, a move that Rodman fought. In any case, the former NBA player earned at least $12 million from the company, given that he claimed in court documents that Converse still owed him $3 million that was left on his contract.
Rodman has also signed with another shoe company, Nike, where he reportedly earned $500,000 per year for three years.
And not one to shy away from the competition, Rodman also appeared as a spokesperson for Reebok. Here’s a commercial for the company starring the bad boy of the NBA.
Over the years, Rodman has also had product endorsement deals with the likes of Planet Fitness, Nations Lending, Foot Locker, Pizza Hut (shown in the first video above), and others.
Rodman Started His Own Line Of Liquor Called ‘Bad Ass Vodka’
ChinaImages / Depositphotos.comDennis Rodman started his liquor company in 2014. Called “Bad Boy Vodka,” the company takes its name from Rodman’s own “Bad Boy” moniker from his playing days in the NBA.
While we don’t know what type of revenue the vodka brand generates, it’s still being sold in 2024, a good sign that the company has been profitable for the former NBA player.
According to EssentiallySports.com, Rodman not only sells the product, it’s also his favorite alcoholic beverage of choice. “I’ve always been a vodka drinker. It just gives you so many options — drink it straight, mix it with soda, make a martini — so it just made sense for me when I finally got my own spirit, to start with vodka.”
Dennis Rodman’s net worth would be much higher today if not for his hard-partying, expensive dating life, divorce payments, and other expenses that quickly eroded the tens of millions he made as an NBA player, wrestler, actor, reality TV star, and brand endorser. In the meantime, Michael Jordan’s net worth has crossed the $3 billion mark. I guess it pays a lot more to be the G.O.A.T. and, of course, to have all that Nike money laying around for a rainy day.
