10 Career-Defining Dennis Rodman Cards – Instant PC
Dennis Rodman remains a popular figure in the basketball card hobby thanks to his memorable antics on and off the court, his role on multiple title teams with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, and his status as one of the greatest rebounds in NBA history.
All told, there are more than 4,500 Dennis Rodman cards, according to the Beckett database.
So where does one begin putting together a Dennis Rodman PC?
The following 10 cards serve as an excellent representation of his playing career and footprint on the hobby, making them a great place to start.
1988-89 Fleer #43 Dennis Rodman RC
The only NBA player ever drafted out of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Rodman was the No. 27 overall pick in the second round of the 1987 draft by the Detroit Pistons. After playing sparingly as a rookie, he moved into a larger role in his second season, averaging 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds for a Pistons team that lost to the Lakers in seven games in the NBA finals.
That breakout performance earned him a spot in the 1988-89 Fleer set, and his Rookie Card remains a popular target for collectors today. The checklist also features rookies of Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller and John Stockton.
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1989-90 Hoops #211 Dennis Rodman
Never a prolific scorer, Rodman was chosen to just two All-Star Games over the course of his career, both of which came while he was a member of the Pistons. The first was during the 1989-90 season when he averaged 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds on a Detroit team that won 59 games and a second straight NBA title.
His 1989-90 Hoops card sells for just a couple bucks, but it’s one of the cooler early cards of Rodman and does a great job showcasing his athleticism, despite an undersized 6’7″, 210-pound frame.
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1991-92 SkyBox #86 Dennis Rodman
The 1991-92 season is when Rodman truly became one of the greatest rebounders the sport has ever seen. He led the NBA with a career-high 18.7 boards per game, and he played a staggering 40.3 minutes per contest in his age-30 season.
There may be no basketball set that screams 1990s quite like 1991-92 SkyBox with all its bright colors and abstract background designs. The base cards are a must-own for any player collector who is included on the checklist.
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1993-94 Finest #173 Dennis Rodman
After seven seasons with the Pistons, Rodman was traded to the San Antonio Spurs prior to the 1993-94 season in exchange for Sean Elliott. He led the NBA in rebounding during the 1993-94 (17.3 RPG) and 1994-95 (16.8 RPG) seasons, his only two years in a Spurs uniform.
The 1993-94 Finest set was the inaugural super-premium release from Topps. Along with the base cards, there is also a highly sought-after refractor version of the set, and the Rodman refractor has an $80 book value.
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1995-96 Hoops Slamland #SL8 Dennis Rodman
Still trying to fill the void left behind when Horace Grant departed in free agency, the Chicago Bulls acquired Rodman from the Spurs in exchange for veteran center Will Perdue prior to the 1995-96 season. He would go on to win three straight titles in his three seasons with the Bulls, carving out his place in NBA history in the process.
Rodman’s 1995-96 cards are a fairly even split between picturing him in his old Spurs uniform and his new Bulls jersey, and the Hoops Slamland insert is a great-looking representation of his first season in Chicago.
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1996-97 Topps #72 Chicago Bulls – 72 Wins
The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls won a record 72 games, a mark that stood until the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors finished 73-9 before being upset by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
On the other hand, the Bulls capped off their season by going 15-4 in the postseason, knocking off the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals to take home their first of three straight championships.
The 72-win season was commemorated with a card in the 1996-97 Topps set, and Rodman shares the front with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. It’s a nice low-cost card that should be a part of any Rodman or Bulls fan’s collection.
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1997-98 E-X2001 Jambalaya #3 Dennis Rodman
At 36 years old, Rodman played his final season with the Bulls during the 1997-98 season, finishing with 4.7 points and 15.0 rebounds per game while still logging 35.7 minutes in 80 games.
There are few more sought after inserts than the 1997-98 E-X2001 Jambalaya cards, with high-grade versions of the Rodman card regularly eclipsing $1,000.
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1998-99 Bowman’s Best #69 Dennis Rodman
After getting released by the Bulls on Jan. 21, 1999, just before the start of the lockout-shortened season, Rodman caught on with the Los Angeles Lakers and appeared in 23 games, pulling down 11.2 rebounds per game in 28.6 minutes of action on a roster that also included Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice.
Rodman has only a handful of cards as a member of the Lakers, including a base card in the 1998-99 Bowman’s Best set.
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1999-00 Topps Gallery #37 Dennis Rodman
Signed by the Dallas Mavericks to provide a veteran presence during the 1999-00 season, Rodman instead racked up six technical fouls, two ejections and a one-game suspension in 13 games with the team before he was released. He still hauled down 14.3 rebounds per game at the age of 38 in his short time with the team.
Fleer Force, SkyBox Impact and Topps Gallery were the only products to get Rodman onto the checklist among 1999-00 releases, so the options are limited as far as cards of him in a Mavericks uniform are concerned.
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2007 Topps Allen and Ginter #331 Dennis Rodman SP
Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, Rodman wrapped up his career among the all-time NBA leaders in total rebounds (11,954, 23rd), rebounds per game (13.1, 11th) and rebounding percentage (23.4, second).
He has been featured in a wide variety of products since his retirement, including the 350-card mixed-sport 2007 Topps Allen and Ginter set where he is among 50 short-printed cards on the checklist.
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