RONALD MARTINEZ/NEWSMAKERS Did Dennis Rodman really deserve to start for the Mavericks after attending only one team practice?

ELItorial

Worming his way back in...for the worse

At such a price, Rodman indeed seems like a true thrift-store find. The Worm, as he is called, is without question one of the best rebounders in the history of the game. In his years with Detroit and Chicago, he earned seven consecutive rebounding titles, and in 1990 and 1991, he was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year. He also seems to have a knack for postseason success, having acquired five championship rings in 11 playoff appearances. While any team would want a player with such a track record, Rodman could prove especially valuable to the Mavs, who consistently hover near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and have failed to earn a playoff berth for nine straight seasons.

In a game against the Seattle SuperSonics on Wed., Feb. 9, his first appearance with the Mavericks, Rodman exhibited his characteristic explosiveness on the boards, grabbing 13 rebounds in only 32 minutes of play. He also gave the Mavs a morale boost by drawing a sellout crowd of 18,203, the second-largest ever at Reunion Arena.

But for all of his rebounding prowess and ability to galvanize a crowd, Rodman will ultimately prove a liability rather than a lucrative investment for Dallas. Although he nabbed 13 boards against the Sonics, Rodman also committed five fouls and took only one shot, which he missed. He exhibited more polish on his fingernails than he did on defense, dropping a loose ball out of bounds with no one around and repeatedly getting called for illegal defense. Even more embarrassingly, he twice had to ask teammate Dirk Nowitzki—who, at 21 years of age, is hardly a veteran—about defensive positioning.

The Worm's disappointing performance against Seattle is understandable—if not excusable—if we consider that the game marked his first appearance in an NBA game in over 10 months. During his furlough from the league, he did not once pick up a basketball, choosing instead to spend his time on other productive activities like getting arrested for drunk driving.

While Rodman's party-heavy lifestyle is indeed his own fault, his shoddy play against the Sonics can be attributed to the Dallas management as much as to his own irresponsible and physically taxing behavior. Since arriving in Dallas a few weeks ago, Rodman has been coddled by Dallas' owners and coaching staff. In his opening game against the Sonics, head coach Don Nelson gave Rodman a starting spot even though he had attended only one practice since returning from his 10-month absence. Even more indulgently, Nelson promised Rodman later pre-game arrival times than his teammates and assured him that he could ride a stationary bicycle in lieu of attending some practices.

This blatant favoritism exhibited toward Rodman—and toward celebrity athletes in general—poses a serious threat to the integrity of professional franchises. When Nelson granted Rodman a starting position, not to mention other special treatment, after Rodman had neglected his game for months, the coach essentially told his other players that famous names are exempt from the hard work and the long hours demanded of their teammates.

Nelson's permissive attitude toward Rodman will undoubtedly foster resentment among the other players and alienate him from the rest of the team. In addition, it will hardly encourage him to moderate his drinking habits and concentrate on basketball instead of on partying. Nelson's actions could also have repercussions beyond his own team. By indulging Rodman, he is undermining the teaching of every Little League, Pop Warner, and pee-wee basketball coach who teaches his kids that hustle and heart matter as much as skill and reputation. He is, indeed, cheapening the efforts of every high school benchwarmer or college rookie who stays after practice to perfect his jump shot, hoping to earn a starting spot over a bigger name or better talent.

When the Mavericks nabbed one of the NBA's best rebounders for under half a million several weeks ago, they probably thought they were getting a bargain. Instead, their $463,000 bought them a player known for his immoderate lifestyle and volatile temper, a player who will become more unmanageable if he continues to be spoiled by an overly indulgent management.

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