The wild story behind NBA legend Dennis Rodman's 48hr Las Vegas trip

Fans of 'The Last Dance' will recall the wild story of Dennis Rodman's chaotic Vegas trip during the NBA finals. But there is even more to that story than the iconic Michael Jordan documentary will know.

So wild is the story it's inspired a new film '48 Hours in Vegas', showing Rodman's party lifestyle in the Chicago Bulls 1998 season. The film is currently in production but has hit some snags after star Jonathan Majors was dropped in January 2024 due to his legal issues relating to alleged domestic assault, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The proposed film, which has been in the works since 2022, will be set between January 1998 and June 1998, when Rodman went to Vegas and attended a WWE (then WWF) wrestling match during the NBA Finals, according to Variety.

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Let's look through the story that led Rodman to need to go to Vegas during a crucial point in the Bull's 1998 season.

Before the 1997-98 NBA season, Scottie Pippen famously refused ankle surgery in the off-season after reports of him being traded and not getting a new lucrative contract.

Pippen decided to wait till the start of the regular season to get his ankle surgery, meaning he would miss nearly half of the season whilst he recovered, leaving Rodman and Michael Jordan to keep the team alive.

Without Pippen, the Chicago Bulls had a sluggish start to the season, going 9-7 as they approached November 1997.

According to gq.com, Michael Jordan said Rodman "hadn't accepted the role that Scottie wasn't going to be around."

Rodman was off the pace and got kicked out of the game, leading him to take Jordan a cigar to smoke with him as a way of saying sorry. In the 'Last Dance' documentary, Jordan said, "He didn't say an apology, but by him coming to my room, it was his way of saying, 'Look man, I screwed up."

From that point on, Dennis was 'straight as an arrow' owning his role as Jordan's sidekick and helping the Bulls to a 15-4 record before Pippen had recovered from his injury in January.

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With the Bulls on a streak, Scottie Pippen returned to the team and rescinded his trade demand after demanding one at the start of the season. He returned to the Bulls 35 games into the season.

With Pippen back, old ways resumed as they always did before, Pippen would go back to being Robin to Michael's Batman, and Rodman would be the third string of the superstar trio.

In the 'Last Dance' documentary, Jordan said, "When Scottie was out, Dennis was a model citizen, to the point that it was driving him insane."

The year before, Rodman went to Vegas during the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Once again, in 1998, he made the same request, asking coach Phil Jackson if he could blow off some steam in 'Sin City.'

Phil Jackson famously granted Rodman 48 hours in Vegas, sparking Jordan to react frustratingly, saying, "You aren't going to get that dude back in 48 hours. I don't care what you say. He's done", according to sportscasting.com.

According to sportscasting.com, Rodman partied with his girlfriend and famous model at the time, Carmen Electra, for longer than 48 hours in Vegas and continued to party in Chicago.

According to 'Last Dance' director Jason Hehir, Jordan and the Bulls athletic trainer had grabbed Rodman by his nose ring to bring him to practice after going to his apartment next to the United Center.

In the 'Last Dance' documentary, Jordan famously said, "He didn't come back on time, we had to go get his a** out of bed, and I'm not going to say what's in his bed."

Despite his party antics, Rodman would go on to be huge for the Chicago Bulls, averaging 15 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 4.7 points, helping the Bulls to their second three-peat, sixth championship, and Rodman's fifth title.

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