(Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com, Trinity Rodman / Instagram)
NBA legend Dennis Rodman made history for his skill on the basketball court, so it should come as no surprise that in the two-plus decades since his retirement, his progeny is carrying the torch. His daughter, Trinity Rodman, recently made headlines for her status as a top prospect in the world of professional soccer. Get the facts on Dennis Rodman’s daughter and find out why we should expect to see more of her in the coming years.
Trinity Rodman Is The Daughter Of Former NBA Star Dennis Rodman
Even if you’re not into basketball, you are probably familiar with Dennis Rodman for his off-court antics. For almost three decades, he attracted attention for cross-dressing hijinks, high-profile girlfriends, and an unlikely friendship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. It’s unfortunate because his shenanigans overshadowed his own accomplishments as a pro athlete.
Rodman spent 14 years as a forward in the NBA, playing for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks. At his peak, he was an undeniable force. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times; he also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award two times. In April 2011, his Pistons jersey was retired and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I didn’t play the game for the money, I didn’t play the game to be famous,” he said when he accepted the honor. “What you see here is just more the illusion that I love to just be an individual that is very colorful.”
In his personal life, Rodman has three children. Alexis, born in 1988, is his only child with his first wife Anne Banks. Son Dennis Jr. and daughter Trinity were born to his ex-wife Michelle Moyer.
Trinity was raised in Orange County, California, and is a graduate of JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano. As a teenage soccer star, she played in the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 and led Team USA to victory over Mexico, 4-1 (Trinity scored two of the goals). In 2018, she was one of the four youngest players selected for the 2018 U-17 World Cup. Trinity is also a two-time United Soccer Coaches Youth Girls All-American.
Off the field, she’s amazingly down-to-earth—a far cry from her unconventional father. For more on her personal life, check out this YouTube Q&A from 2020:
Trinity Rodman Is A Sensational Soccer Player
Trinity was the number one high school soccer recruit in 2020. While she originally planned to stay in California for college, her mother suggested an alternative.
“Once [my brother] went to Washington, I told my mom I’m not leaving California, I’m not going to Washington because she was pushing me, she wanted us at the same school,” Trinity told Pac-12 Networks in August 2020. “Then I went up to DJ’s school, I got to meet the soccer team, I got to see one of their games, I got to see DJ at school doing his thing and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to be here.'”
She landed as a forward at Washington State University, but her debut as a collegiate athlete was stymied by the coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps it was for the best because life had bigger plans for her.
On January 13, 2021, Trinity was the number two overall pick by the Washington Spirit at the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League draft. The selection effectively ended the 18-year-old’s college soccer career before it even started.
According to CNN, she was thrilled and said shortly after the draft, “This has been my dream forever, I’ve been playing soccer since I was 4 years old.”
“To even just be in the draft with my situation and my age is insane, but to be No. 2 to an amazing team is out of this world, like I couldn’t ask for anything more,” she added. “D.C. has just got an awesome program, awesome team. The coach [Richie Burke] is amazing. I’ve talked to him a couple times. I know he’s a hard head coach, but I’m so excited to be his player and learn and get better.”
Check out more of her initial reaction in this interview posted on YouTube by Washington Spirit:
Trinity Rodman Made History During her NWSL Debut
Trinity’s soccer career is just getting started, but she’s already smashing records. On April 10, 2021, just minutes into her first-ever professional match, she scored a goal, making her the youngest goalscorer in the league’s history.
Trinity’s teammates rushed to celebrate her achievement. And the Spirit quickly dubbed her a GOAT “in the making.”
Despite her historic debut match, Trinity remains humble. She told Associated Press that she credits her team for her ever-evolving skillset.
“My team has helped me a lot, obviously, being a really young player and very new, it’s definitely a lot faster, girls are a lot stronger, a lot more intelligent, at this level,” she said. “I think just getting advice from my teammates in scrimmages and practices, I’ve been able to kind of think ahead. And I think that’s a huge part of what’s helped me in the game. ”
Trinity Doesn’t Just Want To Be Known As ‘Dennis Rodman’s Daughter’
We respect Trinity for her ambition and work ethic. Following her recruitment to the Spirit, she made clear that she got there through sheer talent—not her family’s name.
“I’m excited to be known as Trinity Rodman and not just as Rodman’s daughter,” she said. “I’m excited to pave my own path and get better throughout this journey.”
That’s not to say she’s not grateful for her father. She added that “he was an amazing athlete and I got those genes from him.”
Trinity may be modest about her roots, but we’ll be watching to see if she does for women’s soccer what her dad did for basketball.
