Olympian Trinity Rodman opens up about estranged relationship with dad Dennis Rodman

Olympic soccer gold medalist Trinity Rodman is perhaps the daughter of a legendary athlete, however she revealed she spent years not listening to from her father, Dennis Rodman.

Trinity Rodman, 22, waded into what she described as “new territory” by discussing her household in an interview on the “Name Her Daddy” podcast Wednesday.

Trinity Rodman, who at 18 grew to become the youngest participant drafted into the Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League and was important to the Washington Spirit’s championship in her rookie 12 months, is a rising star within the soccer world.

She skyrocketed to change into a family identify this summer season when she helped the USA deliver house its first gold medal in ladies’s soccer for the reason that London 2012 Summer season Olympics.

However “Rodman” is not precisely an unknown identify to sports activities followers.

Dennis Rodman was a five-time NBA champion, having gained three titles with the Chicago Bulls within the Nineties alongside Michael Jordan. On the peak of his fame, he developed a rebellious status with an unconventional type and outlandish antics.

To Trinity Rodman, nonetheless, he was an absentee father who deserted his household each emotionally and financially, she mentioned.

“I believe when it comes to the dad scenario — when it comes to what I’ve filtered and what I’ve talked about — I really feel like me and my brother have been very beneficiant with the best way that we have talked about it and really unselfish,” she mentioned.

Dennis Rodman did not reply to requests for remark Wednesday.

She and her older brother, DJ, had been born throughout Dennis Rodman’s relationship to Michelle Moyer, however the couple separated when Trinity Rodman was nonetheless a toddler. The divorce was drawn out from 2004 to 2012. Trinity Rodman mentioned that her mom struggled with cash and that her father barely gave them sufficient to pay hire.

For a time, Moyer and her kids had been homeless.

“Think about residing in a automobile going to a wealthy faculty; it was probably the most bizarre factor,” she mentioned. “We had been residing in automobile, however then we might afford to remain in a motel for just a little bit, so we had been type of backwards and forwards.”

Dennis Rodman gave a tearful speech in 2011 when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame, saying he by no means had a father. He appeared to precise some contrition over being a foul husband and a foul father.

“I’ve one remorse — I want I used to be a greater father,” he mentioned.

Throughout some durations, Trinity Rodman mentioned, she noticed her father solely three or 4 occasions a 12 months, although they lived in the identical metropolis.

“Even now, I am making an attempt to be trustworthy about it, and I am nonetheless giving him sympathy,” she mentioned. “Which is irritating for me as a result of in actuality, I believe he is an especially egocentric human being. I believe every part has all the time been about him.”

Trinity Rodman recalled bursting into offended tears throughout her NWSL quarterfinal match in 2021 when she realized her father — whom she hadn’t spoken to in months — confirmed up unannounced. She mentioned she cried her eyes out within the locker room at halftime earlier than she obtained again on the sector to win the sport.

“The whistle blew, and I used to be so mad,” she mentioned. “Such as you took this completely satisfied second from me.”