Daily Pilot High School Athlete of the Week: DJ Rodman continues to rise

The moment just before the basketball left the hands of Dennis Rodman Jr., the Corona del Mar High sophomore known as DJ knew it was going into the basket.

In it went after he had been asking for the ball. A big-time three-pointer with 24 seconds left gave the Sea Kings a 50-46 lead against rival Newport Harbor. DJ led CdM to the victory at home on Dec. 22.

He knew.

It’s that type of confidence that has helped a young player become CdM’s go-to scorer this season. Sure, many know that he is the son of Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. But DJ is surely making a name for himself.

“DJ has come into his own,” Dennis Rodman said. “I haven’t done any work with him. He is developing into a great basketball player.”

DJ sees his father from time to time. Dennis has attended some games, including a playoff contest last year when photos of him and his son were published in the Daily Pilot. One photo showed Dennis playfully messing up DJ’s hair.

DJ said it was the first time he had seen photos with his father published and it overwhelmed him. Dennis said he enjoyed the photos too. He has the names of DJ and his daughter, Trinity, tattooed on his neck.

Sometimes, being the son of a celebrity Hall of Famer can be negative because opposing players or fans have used that as a form of trash talk in attempt to rattle DJ, his mother, Michelle Rodman, said.

“I don’t even know that he does deal with it,” Michelle said of how DJ deals with being Dennis Rodman’s son. “We don’t discuss that. We try to be humble. Be kind. DJ doesn’t talk about that. He’s a kid living his life. He’s a very kind and giving child. He’s a very humble child.”

DJ is also confident. It’s why he was calling for the ball late in the game against Newport Harbor. He’s also become aggressive when it comes to scoring.

“His role is he has to be one of our leading scorers and that’s a lot to ask for from a sophomore,” CdM Coach Ryan Schachter said. “We’re trying to compete at a high level as a team that will contend for a league championship and more. That’s a lot. But he’s a great kid. He’s always smiling and always laughing. He’s starting to accept that scoring role. At the end of the Harbor game he was telling me to get him the ball. He wanted that opportunity.”

DJ ended with 14 points against the Sailors. Schachter said the sophomore struggled with being double-teamed. But he came through late in the game. He scored 39 points in a 71-55 win over Napa to open the Marin Catholic tournament on Tuesday.

DJ continues to gain more confidence. He said he did receive some advice from his father after that playoff game last year.

“I told him that, ‘If you become 6-6 or 6-7, you can become the best guard out there,” Dennis Rodman said. “He can score and rebound. A lot of players can’t do that. I was 5-11 when I was growing up. He is 6-4 now. Boom, brother. I tell him: ‘It’s your turn. Not mine. It’s your turn.’”

Beating Newport Harbor was meaningful for DJ. He admitted he felt some nervousness before the game because of the big crowd. It was also important because, believe it or not, Newport Harbor had been a possibility for DJ to attend and play for the Sailors.

DJ attended Kaiser Elementary in Costa Mesa and Ensign Intermediate, the feeder school for Newport Harbor, in Newport Beach before moving to CdM last year and becoming a Sea King.

DJ also went through basketball camps at Mater Dei, where that was also a possibility. But, in the end, DJ found his home at CdM High.

He knew several of the players because of his childhood and because of playing for the Newport Lightning Basketball Club. The friendships and camaraderie have helped him take his game to a higher level.

DJ said having someone like fellow sophomore Jake Hamilton on the team has boosted his confidence. The two have known each other since sixth grade.

Away from the team, DJ has a best friend in his sister, Trinity, a standout soccer player for CdM.

DJ said he is very proud of his sister, a freshman who is on the U.S. Under-14 Girls’ National Team.

“That was my major goal, for them to be as close as they can be,” Michelle said of DJ and Trinity. “I’m not surprised at all. They both have each other backs. They love each other a lot. When DJ does some great stuff on the court like that shot [against Newport Harbor], she’ll be excited and say stuff like, ‘Mom, did you see what he did?’”

DJ is hoping to give his sister more reasons to be excited while on the court for the Sea Kings. But overall, DJ just wants to keep it simple.

“I just want to be the best player I can be,” DJ said.

DJ Rodman

Born: April 25, 2001

Hometown: Newport Beach

Height: 6-foot-3

Sport: Basketball

Year: Sophomore

Coach: Ryan Schachter

Favorite food: Chicken fingers

Favorite movie: “Home”

Favorite athletic moment: Hitting a three-pointer late in the game against Newport Harbor on Dec. 22.

Week in review: Rodman scored 14 points, including a big three-pointer with 24 seconds left to help lead the Sea Kings to a 52-46 win over rival Newport Harbor in the Battle of the Bay.