Dennis Rodman and Madonna's relationship: what really happened
Dennis Rodman and Madonna's relationship was a highly publicised affair, generating a great deal of media attention. The former NBA star, who dated the pop icon for around two months, talked about how they met while at a different stage of their careers, saying,
We came together in the perfect time. She was stagnating in her career, and I was coming up. We helped to motivate each other, going in the same direction at that particular time.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Dennis dated popular pop singer Madonna in 1994, which became his most publicised relationship.
- He has been married three times, with all marriages ending in divorce.
- Dennis Rodman's girlfriend is Yella Yella, a musical artist, who he claimed is his last woman.
Dennis Rodman's profile summary
| Full name | Dennis Keith Rodman |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | May 13, 1961 |
| Age | 64 years old (as of 2025) |
| Place of birth | Trenton, New Jersey, United States |
| Current residence | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Height | 6 feet 7 inches |
| Weight | 95 kg (approx) |
| Father | Philander Rodman, Jr |
| Mother | Shirley Rodman |
| Siblings | Debra and Kim Rodman |
| Relationship status | Dating |
| Girlfriend | Yella Yella |
| Children | Trinity Rodman, DJ Rodman, and Alexis Rodman |
| Education | South Oak Cliff, North Central Texas, and Southeastern Oklahoma State |
| Profession | Former professional basketball player |
| Net worth | $500,000 |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter) |
A look at Dennis Rodman and Madonna's relationship
Rodman and Madonna had a short-lived whirlwind relationship in 1994. Their time together included unusual moments, such as Madonna locking Rodman in her hotel room. She also called him from New York while he was gambling in Las Vegas, urging him to come and impregnate her because she was ovulating.
Although Dennis once described their relationship as a "nice little fling," he revealed that he ended the relationship as he never wanted to be known as the singer's boy toy. However, in his memoir Bad As I Wanna Be, he revealed that his relationship with the singer was one of the easiest. Rodman wrote,
We never had any problems. It was one of the easiest relationships I'd ever been in.
Source: Original
How long did Rodman and Madonna date?
Madonna and Rodman dated for about 2 months in 1994 while Rodman played for the San Antonio Spurs. Despite being short-lived, it was the most publicised of Dennis Rodman's relationships.
Rodman has since downplayed the seriousness of the relationship, later saying he wanted to maintain his identity apart from dating Madonna in his 1996 memoir. He wrote,
I still think of myself as this guy who had to claw his way up from a job as a janitor to get anything in life. So to be making a decision on how serious to get with Madonna was more than I could handle.
Did Madonna pay Dennis Rodman $20 million?
Madonna had reportedly offered the athlete $20 million if he impregnated her. That did not happen. Dennis revealed this during an interview on the Breakfast Club radio show. He said,
No. Well she asked me that... if I got her pregnant she'd pay me $20 million. That's if the baby was born.
Source: Getty Images
A look at Dennis Rodman's relationship timeline
Besides his highly publicised relationship with Madonna, the former NBA player has been in multiple relationships. Here is a breakdown of Dennis Rodman's ex-partners:
1. Annie Bakes
- Full name: Annie Bakes
- Date of birth: February 26, 1965
- Age: 60 years old (as of 2025)
- Profession: Adult model and author
In 1987, Rodman began dating adult model Anne Bakes before marrying her in 1992. However, their marriage lasted just 82 days due to a troubled relationship marked by infidelities and accusations of abuse. During their time together, they welcomed a daughter, Alexis Rodman, born in 1988.
2. Carmen Electra
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Carmen Electra
- Date of birth: April 20, 1972
- Age: 53 years old (as of 2025)
- Profession: Actress, model, singer, and media personality
- Social media: Instagram
Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman first met in 1998 and exchanged vows in November. Nine days into their marriage, Dennis filed for a divorce. They later reconciled but eventually divorced in 1999.
3. Michelle Moyer
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Michelle Moyer
- Date of birth: 1967
- Age: 58 years old (as of 2025)
- Profession: Musician
- Social media: Instagram
Rodman met Michelle Moyer in 1999, and they kick-started a relationship. During their dating period, they welcomed two children, Dennis "DJ" Rodman Jr. in 2001 and Trinity Rodman in 2002.
The duo exchanged vows a year later on Rodman's birthday. Michelle Moyer filed for divorce in 2004, but they became legally divorced in 2012.
4. Alicia Douvall
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Alicia Douvall
- Date of birth: July 24, 1979
- Age: 45 years (as of June 2025)
- Profession: Model
- Social media: Instagram
In 2004, while married to his former wife Michelle Moyer, Rodman dated American model and TV personality Alicia Douvall. She also once claimed that they were engaged at some point, claims which Dennis strongly refuted.
5. Yella Yella
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Yella Yella
- Profession: Music artist
- Social media: Instagram
Rodman and Yella Yella made their relationship Instagram official in a July 2022 Instagram video. They have been together ever since, with the athlete getting Yella Yella's portrait inked on his face. Discussing the new tattoo with TMZ Sports, Rodman said,
This is my last dance with a woman. I thank her for loving me the way I am, and that's why I did it for her.
Who has Dennis Rodman had children with?
The former NBA star has three children with two women: Annie Bakes and Michelle Moyer. Bakes is the mother of Dennis Rodman's eldest daughter, Alexis Rodman, born in 1988. Michelle is the mother of Dennis "D.J." Rodman Jr., born in 2001, and Trinity Rodman, born in 2002.
Source: Getty Images
Is Dennis Rodman married?
Dennis Rodman is currently not married. However, he has been married three times in his life. He first married Annie Bakes in 1992, but divorced after only 82 days. He later married Carmen Electra in 1998 in Las Vegas, but he filed for divorce, citing he was of "unsound mind" when they married.
His third marriage was to Michelle Moyer. They married in 2003, but Michelle filed for divorce in 2004.
Trivia facts
- Dennis Rodman won five NBA championships (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998).
- His nickname was "The Worm" due to his tenacious playing style and rebounding ability.
- Rodman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
- The Detroit Pistons retired his No. 10 jersey in 2011.
- He wore a wedding dress to promote his 1996 memoir, Bad as I Wanna Be.
Dennis Rodman and Madonna briefly dated in 1994. In their whirlwind romance, the former couple's relationship received immense media scrutiny before the retired basketball player called it off due to what he described as not wanting to be known as Madonna's boy-toy. Following his breakup with the singer, he has dated and married multiple women.
READ ALSO: Dennis Rodman's net worth today
Briefly.co.za published an article about Dennis Rodman, a popular American former basketball player known for his defensive and rebounding abilities. Nicknamed the Worm, Rodmann accumulated a massive fortune in the NBA.
Source: Briefly News
