NBA All-Star Dennis Rodman has a clear message for the internet trolls who condemned his fashion look at a recent event celebrating Pride Month.
On Saturday, the 62-year-old Hall of Famer made an appearance in Houston at the city’s 45th annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade where he mixed and mingled with attendees.
In a post shared to Instagram, Rodman wrote, “Love will Always Win 🌈 Happy Pride” coupled with photos and a short clip of him chatting up fans.
At the parade, the five-time NBA champion was seen wearing a leg-baring, green mini plaid skirt and a shirt featuring a decorative image of himself rocking his signature rainbow hair, which famously caused a stir among fans in the ’90s.
After his social media post became a lightning rod for antagonistic comments, Rodman hopped onto his Instagram Story to put an end to the negativity, People reports.
“Do your research guys #beenhim,” he wrote alongside various photos showcasing some of his most debated looks, such as his then-controversial $10,000 wedding gown that he donned after claiming to marry himself in 1996.
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Famous for sporting unconventional hair colors throughout his massive career, the rainbow-headed rebound master’s nonconforming fashion choices have garnered him almost as much attention as his record-breaking feats on the court.
During Rodman’s 14-season career from 1986-2000, the now-retired forward played on multiple popular teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.
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Rodman’s support for the LGBTQ+ community runs deep. Back in 2019, the basketball star beamed about his longtime backing of the gay community while promoting his ESPN special “Dennis Rodman: For Better or Worse.”
“One of the things I was proud of the most back then — I actually brought the gay community to the forefront for sports because of the things I was doing,” Rodman told The Associated Press.
The former athlete added: “I did a Sports Illustrated cover where I went in in a bathing suit and had makeup and stuff like that. And I was so flamboyant when I was doing it and stuff like that and people are like ‘Wow, we like this guy because he’s not afraid to go out the box.’”
Elsewhere in the interview, Rodman also encouraged gay athletes to come out.
“I wish all of them would come out. It’s acceptable today. Just come out, man. Have a good time. Enjoy yourself,” the star said.