Dennis Rodman and Alonzo Mourning have finally put an end to a feud that lasted nearly 30 years, with the two Hall of Famers sharing a warm moment at the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony.
Chris Webber captured the scene on Instagram and called it a “Power Forward Summit.” In his post, he wrote, “What’s Beef? Zo and Dennis haven’t shook hands in almost 30 years.”
Kevin Garnett could also be heard chiming in with, “bury that s***, man,” and the moment made it clear the bad blood was gone.
That would have sounded almost impossible back when Rodman was in full pest mode and Mourning was one of his favorite targets. Rodman made a career out of getting under people’s skin, and Mourning was no exception.
Former NBA player John Salley once described a prank he played during a Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat game, telling Mourning that Rodman found him cute. Rodman then leaned into the act and, according to Salley, said, “Look at those calves, calves are great, how’d you get calves like that?” Mourning’s reaction said plenty.
“He’s crazy,” Mourning appeared to say. “You’re a sick man.
You a sick individual. You a sick motherf***er.”
Their clashes went well beyond trash talk. During Game 4 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and the Heat, the two got into a scuffle on the floor and had to be separated.
Afterward, Rodman took his shot again. “I’m a smart guy,” Rodman said, via The Oklahoman.
“I’m not the guy out there making $100 million. He’s out there trying to poke my eyes out.
He’s just a young kid. He doesn’t know how to play the game of basketball.”
The tension never really disappeared. Rodman kept needling Mourning on and off the court, and there’s even a nearly 30-minute-long YouTube video filled with their heated moments.
Rodman also called Mourning a $17 million punk after Mourning had elbowed Jordan and Scottie Pippen during a Bulls-Heat game in 1998. There was no shortage of hostility between them.
On the court, Rodman had the upper hand. He finished 11-7 against Mourning in the regular season and 7-1 in the playoffs.
So seeing them shake hands now feels like a genuine full-circle moment. Time, it turns out, really did what the rivalry never could.
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