Bad as I Wanna Be [Mass Market Paperback]

Dennis Rodman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 12, 1997

A wild ride inside the glowing head of Dennis Rodman--the NBA's greatest rebounder and America's most outspoken and outrageous athlete.



When Sports Illustrated put the man they call "America's most provocative athlete" on their cover, they sold more copies than any other issue they had sold in a decade (except the swimsuit issue). Why? Because Dennis Rodman, superstar basketball player who joined the Chicago Bulls for the 1996 season, has more in common with Mick Jagger than with his new teammate Michael Jordan. With his body-covering tattoos and ever-changing fluorescent hair, Rodman's sideline antics and celebrated benchings have captivated sports fans as much as his record-breaking on-court performances and earned him a reputation as a rebel with the same penchant for shocking behavior as his on-again off-again squeeze, Madonna. In Bad as I Wanna Be he shares his surprising and candid opinions on everything from fame, money, and race relations, to sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll--and he'll talk about his life, from going to prison for stealing watches to his daughter, the light of his life.



At a time when most celebrities and professional athletes try to control their public personas like politicians and refrain from expressing their true beliefs, Dennis Rodman is a refreshingly unique, uncompromising individual who both transcends his world and refuses to conform to it. Bad as I Wanna Be is as candid, intriguing, and unforgettable as he is.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

"Everything I do is about confidence. After years of struggling with my identity . . . I've become totally confident about being who I am. I can go out to a salon and have my nails painted pink, and then go out and play in the NBA, on national television, with pink nails." There is only one basketball player in history who could make that statement--Dennis Rodman. His much ballyhooed memoir sets out to shock and certainly will succeed, much in the manner of Rodman's pal and fellow author Howard Stern, whose books apparently provided the model for the boldface-smeared typography used here. Still, there is more to this book than shock effect. After adjusting to the profanity, the explicit descriptions of sex with Madonna and others, the revelations about cross-dressing and bisexuality, and the attacks on fellow players (David Robinson, in particular), many readers will be surprised to find that Rodman has a fascinating coming-of-age story to tell: the saga of a skinny street kid who grew nine inches in the year after high school, who blossomed as a basketball player because of his willingness to do the game's grunt work, and who reached stardom only to contemplate suicide and, later, vow to face the world and the game strictly on his own terms. And Rodman's terms are like no other, especially in the sanitized, image-conscious NBA world. We may tire of his repetitious rants, we may reject his wild nonconformity, but finally, only the most inflexible of readers will fail to admire Rodman's unabashed honesty and irrepressible energy. Rodman brings controversy wherever he goes, of course, and his book will do the same. Remarkably, though, it just may be worth the trouble. Bill Ott --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

A wild ride inside the glowing head of Dennis Rodman--the NBA's greatest rebounder and America's most outspoken and outrageous athlete.

When Sports Illustrated put the man they call "America's most provocative athlete" on their cover, they sold more copies than any other issue they had sold in a decade (except the swimsuit issue). Why? Because Dennis Rodman, superstar basketball player who joined the Chicago Bulls for the 1996 season, has more in common with Mick Jagger than with his new teammate Michael Jordan. With his body-covering tattoos and ever-changing fluorescent hair, Rodman's sideline antics and celebrated benchings have captivated sports fans as much as his record-breaking on-court performances and earned him a reputation as a rebel with the same penchant for shocking behavior as his on-again off-again squeeze, Madonna. In Bad as I Wanna Be he shares his surprising and candid opinions on everything from fame, money, and race relations, to sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll--and he'll talk about his life, from going to prison for stealing watches to his daughter, the light of his life.

At a time when most celebrities and professional athletes try to control their public personas like politicians and refrain from expressing their true beliefs, Dennis Rodman is a refreshingly unique, uncompromising individual who both transcends his world and refuses to conform to it. Bad as I Wanna Be is as candid, intriguing, and unforgettable as he is.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Dell; First Edition edition (May 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440222664
• ISBN-13: 978-0440222668
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #293,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars the truth about the current nba January 8, 2000

By A customer HALL OF FAMEVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

race,sex,drugs,class very much of todays sports in general and life for that matter.while the images of the nba are glossy and everybody says the right thing dennis rodman tells it like it is in this book.he breaks down the current nba and the choices people make.the other parts of this book reflect his life.and much of it has highs&lows.but as for the nba it hits home.talks about how certain players are treated differently than others and who has heart and who doesn't.dennis can play the game if he wants to.i wish more people in sports and entertainment would speak the truth as opposed to sounding like programmed robots.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Repetitive as I Wanna Be February 6, 2004

By "trifam6"

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I found this book disappointing. I was expecting something resembling an autobiography of Dennis' life, with plenty of tales from experience. While there were a few such stories, much of the book could be described as a rant, with Dennis harping on about the same old stuff again and again.
He hated the Spurs' coach, he's never been paid what he's worth, David Robinson is crap, he's a good rebounder, he was in two championship teams, he misses his daughter, he boinked Madonna, he's misunderstood, he had a tough upbrining.
I mean, fair enough that this may all be be true...but do we REALLY need to hear about it over and over and over?? Even in the chapter about sex, which you would expect to have something a little risque in it, Dennis manages to mention his rebounding average AGAIN.
If I took all the insights Dennis gave us and cut out all the repitition, this book would be about 20 pages long.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars An honest account of his contribution to basketball. September 16, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Dennis Rodman has produced a book that reminds us we live in a society of uninformed consumers. Since the book has come out, there has been a cliche division between two camps; those who like his image and those who are offended by it. The reality is, Rodman walks a very fine line between popular entertainer and basketball innovator. As entertainment, his image greatly increased ticket sales; a fact "management" does not properly acknowledge because they (like the fans) are afraid to show approval of such a deviant character. As an innovator, Rodman deserves the respect of true lovers of the game. He is unique because his approach (as he details in the book) has never been utilized with such conscious effort. Rodman seeks to turn the game on its head, using rebounding as a way to win the game. His vision is a game with less points in which defense is ultimately the deciding factor. While his critics regurgitate statistics hoping to lessen any attention given him, Rodman's status as an important contributor to the game will survive. He possesses the conviction that inspires all innovators to persist in the face of public ignorance. Finally, it is ironic that the very same "fans" who seek the excitement of instant gratification, will not admit to the magnetism of his image, nor will they admit to his integrity as a player of the game these "fans" are supposedly so passionate about. This is an informative, entertaining book that should motivate people to respect Mr. Rodman for providing us with great basketball and memorable culture.