The American Hall-of-Famer Rodman took a moment to acknowledge his father, Philander, whom he hasn’t seen in more than four decades before a sizeable crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena for the All-Star Basketball Challenge between select NBA legends and PBA Greats.
During a timeout with still 16 ticks to go, Rodman, 51, held the microphone and spoke to the crowd.
“I haven’t seen my father in 42 years, but that’s him sitting right there,” said Rodman, pointing to the patron section Arena where his father stood, waving to the crowd.
Philander, a Vietnam war veteran who has been residing in the Philippines since the 70s, was hard to miss in his red baseball cap with the words emblazoned on it: “Yes, Dennis Rodman is my son.”
PROUD DAD. Philander Rodman Jr., watches his son Dennis play in the All-Star Basketball Challenge at Mall of Asia Arena. Photo by Patricia Hizon.
Philander was also donning a t-shirt of “Rodman’s Rainbow Obamaburger” – his burger joint in Angeles City in Pampanga which sells rainbow-colored buns, reminiscent of his son’ psychedelic hairdo.
It wasn’t suprising for Rodman, though, to see his father on the stands as he said in the press conference Tuesday that “I’m gonna be glad if he shows up in the game.”
“I don’t hate my father. Everyone here knows that my father lives in this country. I don’t hate him,” he also said Tuesday.
Rodman, complete with ear and nose piercings, scored four points in the “US All-Stars” 112-93 victory over the legends of the PBA—a performance which rendered the spectators reminiscing 90′s basketball era.
“It’s an honor to be here in the Philippines, I’ve been here a couple of times,” said Rodman.
