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Former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman is set to executive-produce a film based on his wild adventure in the 1997-98 NBA season.
NBA fans would be ecstatic to learn more about Rodman’s infamous but highly entertaining trip to Sin City. So what can NBA and basketball fans, in general, expect from '48 Hours in Vegas?'
A few details about Dennis Rodman and '48 Hours in Vegas'
According to Deadline, which broke the news on Monday, Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood will produce '48 Hours in Vegas' for Lord Miller, while Rodman, Ari Lubet and Will Allegra will executive-produce, with screenplay by Jordan VanDina.
Nathan Kahane, president of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, had this to say about the upcoming film:
“There’s only one Dennis Rodman. In 1998, there was nobody on Earth who’d be more fun – or maybe more dangerous – to party with. And yet that’s not even half of who he is. This movie takes you on an unforgettable ride with the myth, the legend, and also the man that Dennis is, behind everything you think you know."
"We could not be more thrilled to be working with Phil, Chris, Aditya, Ari, Will and Jordan, and above all, Dennis, whose amazing career and life will make for an off-the-wall hilarious yet completely human and emotional movie. You think you know anything about ’The Worm’? Just you wait!”
As an NBA fan who watched the episode of 'The Last Dance' that covered one of Dennis Rodman’s Las Vegas trips, there are three things I’d like to see in '48 Hours in Vegas':
#3 How did the Chicago Bulls respond to Dennis Rodman’s request?
![Toni Kukoc (#7) sits on the bench with Dennis Rodman (#91) [Photo by NBAE via Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/736d5-16304213191954-800.jpg)
In 'The Last Dance' documentary, Bulls head coach Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan were the primary storytellers of how Dennis Rodman asked for a vacation to blow off some steam.
The description of the '48 Hours in Vegas' film says that the story is in the middle of the 1998 NBA Finals. But the documentary has covered the one from the regular season in which Rodman was out for more than two days.
It’s possible the 1998 NBA Finals vacation that Dennis Rodman took was a shorter one. Nevertheless, his absence would have created quite a stir within the team, no matter when it happened. But if there’s anything we learned from 'The Last Dance', it’s how well the players understood The Worm’s needs to perform at a high level on the court.
It would be great to hear from role players like current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler, Ron Harper, Luc Longley and 1996 Sixth Man of the Year Toni Kukoc.
How well or how badly did they take Rodman’s request? Did they just laugh behind closed doors, or did they truly accept that to be a part of the unwritten 'Rodman Rules'? Either way, role players have some of the most interesting takes, and it would be great to hear them share their thoughts about the same.
#2 Dennis Rodman's state of mind before and after the vacation request
![Dennis Rodman talks to Phil Jackson [Photo via Phil Velasquez courtesy Chicago Sun Times]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/ff7f0-16304220842511-800.jpg)
For Dennis Rodman to request time off in the middle of the 1998 NBA Finals, he must have been having difficulty dealing with some issues outside of the basketball court.
The NBA and other sports have just recently been made more aware of the importance of mental health. '48 Hours in Vegas' could give fans and the NBA as an organization a look into the mind of one of the most disturbed individuals ever to set foot on the court.
Phil Jackson understood the way Dennis Rodman’s mind worked almost more than anyone in the league. So he gave the seven-time rebounding champion a longer leash than perhaps any other player he had ever coached. The film could give the league greater insight into the best way in dealing with talented but troubled players who are constantly bombarded with attention from the media.
Moreover, it would be interesting to know what the time off in Las Vegas did to free Rodman’s mind of the clutter and how it helped him perform better on the basketball court. A more detailed interview would greatly help, not just the league, but also the players today, about what an escape from the pressures of a high-profile job can do for them.
#1 How much respect Dennis Rodman had for Michael Jordan
![Michael Jordan (#23) pulls Dennis Rodman (#91) aside during the 1997-98 season [Photo by Fred Jewell/Associated Press]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/485b2-16304224048706-800.jpg)
How can a film about one of Michael Jordan’s teammates be as interesting without His Airness in it? Of course, we want more Jordan material, and Bulls fans are going to be excited to hear more stories about the five-time MVP, even if he would only appear in it for a few brief moments.
Specifically, Dennis Rodman’s respect for his fearless leader would be a captivating insight into why Rodzilla was willing to subjugate himself to someone who used to be a mortal enemy during his Detroit Pistons days.
The fact that Dennis Rodman respected the Chicago Bulls legend enough to follow his lead says a lot about the kind of leadership that Michael Jordan displayed. It would be a fabulous study into leaders who are able to adapt to the needs of their best and highest-performing workers regardless of the industry they belong to.
Much has been said about the difference in leadership styles between Jordan and LeBron James', for example. Whereas James’ leadership style promotes camaraderie and a family atmosphere, Jordan’s is more demanding and result-oriented. Could James’ style work well with a flamboyant and free-spirited individual like Dennis Rodman? Who’s to say it will or won’t work out?
Perhaps we’ll find out from '48 Hours in Vegas' how Jordan was able to earn Dennis Rodman’s respect and how his methods can be transferable to ways of leading different individuals.
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