The telephone calls from reporters and television producers are more sporadic now. But Lonn Reisman still hears from people who want to know more about Dennis Rodman, and that has been the case again thanks to “The Last Dance,” ESPN’s 10-part documentary series on Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls.
Two more episodes aired on Sunday night, and Rodman — Jordan’s teammate for three championship seasons — had a star turn in all his multicolored glory. For a sports-starved audience, the series has offered a reminder of Rodman’s basketball genius: part rebounding savant, part defensive menace, part provocateur.
“I give a lot of credit to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson, especially, because Phil was a psychologist,” Reisman said in a telephone interview. “But what Dennis brought to that team was glue. He played his role as hard as anyone could possibly play it.”
Reisman, 65, is the vice president for intercollegiate athletics at Tarleton State in Stephenville, Texas. In 30 seasons as the men’s basketball coach before he was succeeded by his son in 2018, he won 654 games. But Reisman also understands something else about his legacy: that it will always be tied to Rodman.
