Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is well-known for his temperamental personality. He has never shied away from speaking his mind and he wears his heart on his sleeve on the court. In fact, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo likened Kyrgios to another NBA legend- Dennis Rodman, for it.
Rodman was a five-time NBA champion and an icon on and off the court. He was outspoken and flamboyant, the two traits that are also associated with Kyrgios.
Giannis had compared Kyrgios to Rodman a while ago. The Milwaukee Bucks forward has always been an admirer of Kyrgios. In an interview, the Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player drew similarities between Kyrgios and Dennis. “Nick Kyrgios kind of has a shaky personality, he is basically… how can I say this politely? He is the Dennis Rodman of tennis,” said the NBA star.
Giannis. “Nick Kyrgios is the Dennis Rodman of tennis. I’m joking. He’s a good guy and I’ve had the opportunity to talk to him a little bit.” https://t.co/ULA9fgX3At
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 31, 2021
At the time, Kyrgios was very happy with the comparison. He stated that he would rather be remembered as the Dennis Rodman of tennis. Kyrgios spoke of how much he admired Rodman and the way he did not care about what others thought of him.
“When I first think of Rodman, I think of someone that is completely comfortable in his own skin, who played the game he wanted and didn’t really care what others thought. That is how I feel I go about my tennis career, I don’t really care what others think and I play the way I want to play,” (via Daily Mail).
Tennis fans are familiar with Nick Kyrgios’ antics, which have landed him in trouble ever so often. But the Australian is very comfortable in his own skin. He is not afraid to ruffle some feathers either, from time to time.
Nick Kyrgios opens up about Dennis Rodman comparison
The tennis star has been on the sidelines for the entirety of the year, due to injuries. He played a single match at the Stuttgart Open, where Wu Yibing defeated him in straight sets.
Kyrgios recently appeared in the latest episode of Mike Tyson’s podcast. He spoke on a variety of topics which ranged from his personal life and career. Kyrgios also shared some funny anecdotes, like the time he was out drinking before he played against Rafael Nadal.
During the podcast, co-host Sebastian-Joseph Day brought up the comparison between Kyrgios and Rodman. Tyson chimed in, claiming it was cool. Nick agreed with Tyson, stating that he looked up to athletes like Rodman, who did things their way.
Nick Kyrgios has been away from the game for a long time now. However, he hopes to make a return next year and play the way he does best- with his trademark chutzpah.
