Dennis Rodman '72nd Win' Record-Setting Game Worn & Signed 1995-1996 Season Jersey

When Bear Bryant said the old football adage “Defense wins championships” he likely wasn’t expecting Dennis Rodman, an eccentric, 6-foot 7-inch basketball forward, with a love for body modification, dyed hair, and himself (so much so that he publicly married himself) to be the perfect embodiment of the sentiment. 

Rodman, a 5-time NBA champion, 7-time rebounding champion, and 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, was a true hustler. Aside from his astonishing rebounding numbers, it was Rodman’s effort towards and contribution to the aspects of the game not included on the stat sheet that earned him a spot in the NBA Hall of Fame in 2011 and the honor of Michael Jordan calling him “one of the smartest guys I played with.”

This heavily worn jersey has been photomatched by Resolution Photomatching to 7 Games in the 1995-1996 NBA season, including the Bulls record breaking 70th win on April 16th, 1996 and most importantly, their record setting 72nd win on April 21, 1996. Many consider the 1995-1996 Bulls to be one of the greatest teams - if not the greatest - of all time. This shirt is emblematic of this historic season. The previous record of 69 wins was set nearly 25 years prior by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1971-1972 season. The jersey is accompanied by a letter from James Spence Authentication in regards to the signature. 

The above jersey has been photomatched to the following games from the 1995-1996 NBA Season. 

• The Chicago Bulls' 127-108 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on December 14, 1995

• The Chicago Bulls' 123-114 victory over the Boston Celtics on December 18, 1995

• The Chicago Bulls' 116-109 victory over the Washington Bullets on January 15, 1996

• The Chicago Bulls' 90-86 victory over the Orlando Magic on April 7, 1996

• The Chicago Bulls' 113-100 victory over the New Jersey Nets on April 11, 1996

• The Chicago Bulls' 103-93 victory over the Washington Bullets on April 21, 1996

Going Deeper | Dennis Rodman

In 1986, Rodman was selected with the 27th pick of the NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. 

An instant fit, Rodman’s tenacity on defense and nose for the ball off of the boards made him the missing piece to the puzzle for the highly competitive, highly physical, and sometimes dirty playing style of the NBA’s ‘Bad Boys’ (Detroit Pistons). 

In his third season with Detroit, Rodman played an integral role in the Pistons’ 1989 NBA championship, the first in franchise history. 

In 1990, Rodman was rotated into Detroit’s starting lineup. The shift was described as ‘letting the jack out of the box’ and Rodman’s electric play earned him his first defensive player of the year award. The Pistons repeated as NBA champions in 1990.

In 1993, after a string of misconduct and team suspensions, Rodman was traded to the San Antonio Spurs.

In San Antonio, in addition to his widely known on-the-court temper, off the court, Rodman’s personal life was closely observed in the public eye, including his relationship with pop icon Madonna and his experimentation with body modification. He notably turned his body into an exposé of tattoos, piercings, and ever-changing vibrant hair color. The once shy and introverted Rodman was a person of the past. 

Life with the Bulls

On March 18th, 1995, Michael Jordan announced that he would be returning to basketball, ending his minor league baseball stint with the Birmingham Barons. In his first season back in the NBA in 1995, MJ and the Bulls fell short of their championship aspirations - losing in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

With plans to return to their winning ways, the Bulls looked to add another piece to the puzzle. Whereas the Bulls thrived in offensive production, they struggled on the boards. With only 1 player averaging above 8 rebounds per game (Scottie Pippen), the Bulls needed a glass cleaner, and Rodman, one of the league’s leading rebounders, fit the bill. 

After some convincing from Bulls assistant coach Jim Stack to General Manager Jerry Krause, and even an apology to Pippen for all of the hard fouls Rodman committed against him during his years in Detroit, Rodman was acquired by the Bulls in October prior to the 1995-1996 season. 

Alongside Pippen and Jordan, Rodman helped the Bulls return to championship form. Rodman led the league in rebounds per game, he averaged 14.9 that season and secured at least 20 rebounds in a game 11 times. Rodman’s play, in addition to Jordan’s fourth MVP campaign, led the Bulls to a then-league record of 72 regular season wins. Rodman led all rebounders in the playoffs, helping the Bulls to their 4th NBA championship, defeating the Seattle Supersonics in the Finals.

In his second campaign with the Bulls in the 1996-1997 season, Rodman helped the Bulls win 69 games and capture their second consecutive NBA championship.