21 inspiring and baffling quotes from Dennis Rodman, basketball's ultimate free thinker

A unique take on life
On his persona
On how he is percieved by the public
On masculinity
On what drives his game
On gender indentity
On his beliefs
On individuality
On life
On his game
On his chaotic life
On being accepted
On his treatment in the NBA
On what seperates him from other players
On equality
On his troubled upbringing
On drugs in the NBA
On exploring his identity
On his approach to basketball
On life as an African-American
On gender indentity (again)
On wealth
A unique take on life

Dennis Rodman is a man who defies easy categorization. From his flamboyant style to his controversial behavior, he has always marched to the beat of his own drum. If you're looking for inspiration from an unlikely source, look no further than Dennis Rodman. Let's take a look at some quotes that his unique perspective on life and the lessons he's learned along the way.

On his persona

"They say Elvis is dead. I say, no, you're looking at him. Elvis isn't dead; he just changed color" The Arsenio Hall Show, 1996.

On how he is percieved by the public

"If you have a problem with my answer that's your problem, not my problem." ESPN, 1997.

On masculinity

"I'll be the judge of my own manliness," Bad As I Wanna Be, 1996.

On what drives his game

"I go out there and get my eyes gouged, my nose busted, my body slammed. I love the pain of the game." Sports Illustrated, 1990.

On gender indentity

"If I want to wear a dress, I'll wear a dress." Detroit News, 1996

On his beliefs

"Why should I try to make you believe the things I believe in?" ESPN, 1995.

On individuality

"Everybody's talking trash these days, so why not keep quiet?" Chicago Tribune, 1995.

On life

"This life is like a swimming pool. You dive into the water, but you can't see how deep it is." Bad As I Want To Be, 1996.

On his game

"I'm hungrier than those other guys out there. Every rebound is a personal challenge." LA Times, 1996.

On his chaotic life

"At least 50 times. I've jumped off a building, jumped off a cliff in a car. I've been in bedrooms when women came in with knives and guns." ESPN, 1997.

On being accepted

"You can love me or you can hate me" NBC, 1997.

On his treatment in the NBA

"They didn't have a problem with me being wild and crazy when it came time to fill the arenas." Sports Illustrated, 1998.

On what seperates him from other players

"The one thing I do that nobody else does is jump three and four times for one rebound." LA Times, 1996.

On equality

"I couldn't care less if the guy I'm guarding has HIV. I'm going to slam him anyways.” Speaking about Magic Johnson in his book, Bad As I Wanna Be, 1996.

On his troubled upbringing

"I spent my whole childhood looking for an escape." Sports Illustrated, 1996.

On drugs in the NBA

"Wherever there's money, there's drugs, so to say drugs don't exist in the NBA would be stupid." Sports Illustrated, 1996.

On exploring his identity

"To hang out in a gay bar or put on a sequined halter top makes me feel like a total person." OUT Magazine, 1996.

On his approach to basketball

"I can score 20 points if I want to, but that's not my desire." Chicago Tribune, 1995

On life as an African-American

"I learned a lot I wouldn't have learned roaming the streets of Dallas." LA Times, 1996.

On gender indentity (again)

"I wear women's leggings under my clothes, but no lingerie." LA Times, 1996.

On wealth

"I don't trust what this life has given me." Chicago Tribune, 1995.

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