Two months back, in an appearance on Vlad TV, former NBA star Dennis Rodman stated his belief that the Chicago Bulls could have achieved four consecutive championship wins if it weren’t for internal issues and Michael Jordan’s decision to leave. The Bulls, a team that dominated the 1996 to 1998 NBA seasons, won three consecutive championships. Still, Rodman thinks they were in a position for even greater success.
Rodman recalled, “Well, I look at it like this. If egos weren’t… That Last Dance, Phil just came up with that.” He was referring to then-coach Phil Jackson’s decision to label their final season together as “The Last Dance”. Jackson’s public declaration made it clear that after the 1998 season, he wouldn’t be returning.
“He wasn’t coming back,” Rodman said. “This is it? Because the next year, it was a half-season. I was like, we could have won this thing for four in a row. But I tried saying in the pep rally, ‘Hey let’s bring this, let’s bring everybody back together, stuff like that. But it’s like, wow damn.”
Dennis Rodman added, “Some days you look back and say we could have won in a row. Easy. I think Michael got fed up… Michael left, they didn’t bring me back, Phil left, and that was it.”
While some may see Rodman’s comments as a jab at Jordan. Jordan was a key player in the team’s success, but his frustration and later retirement were crucial factors in the team’s disintegration. Rodman’s use of the phrase “Michael got fed up” suggests that Jordan’s exit was a major factor in why the team has not chased their potential fourth consecutive title.
Could the Chicago Bulls have won four consecutive titles?
Considering the Chicago Bulls’ total dominance during the late 1990s, it’s not crazy to think about the possibility of them winning a fourth consecutive championship. By the end of their three back-to-back wins, the team seemed unstoppable.
Were the 1996-98 Chicago Bulls considered a superteam? pic.twitter.com/LnTCfktaAU
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The 1998-99 NBA season, which was shortened due to a lockout, meant that teams would only play 50 regular-season games before the playoffs. Such a format would have surely been advantageous to the Bulls’ aging stars, giving them a break from the challenging 82-game schedule. In addition, the Finals that year featured the San Antonio Spurs and the 8th-seed New York Knicks. Considering the Bulls’ past performances, they might have had an easy road to the Finals that year.
Jordan had already mentioned his dissatisfaction at not being allowed to defend their title again. While Rodman may suggest that Jordan’s fatigue played a part in the team’s downfall, organizational issues between Jerry Krause, the General Manager, and Phil Jackson were more significant reasons.