Dennis Rodman, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, expressed how going to gay clubs and drag clubs during his time in the NBA positively impacted his self-acceptance and influenced his basketball performance.
In an interview with GQ, Rodman recounted that after winning two championships with the Detroit Pistons, he experienced a period of depression around 1993 when his close relationship with team coach Chuck Daly ended as Daly left the team. Rodman admitted that he even contemplated suicide during this difficult time. However, a fresh start with the San Antonio Spurs proved to be a turning point for him and helped him overcome his struggles.
“In San Antonio, I started exploring gay clubs and drag clubs. I began bringing drag queens to games,” Rodman shared. He elaborated, “When you interact with individuals from the gay community, particularly those who do drag, you will see how incredibly happy they are. They exude confidence daily, unapologetically living their authentic lives.”
Rodman also mentioned that he attended games donning drag himself. “It made me reflect on my childhood experiences of playing dress-up with my sisters,” he noted, connecting his present actions to fond memories from his past.
