UCLA Basketball: Trojans Starter Extra-Motivated To Beat Bruins

A major crosstown rivalry is reignited tonight.

When he was first being recruited to colleges as a high schooler, USC Trojans forward DJ Rodman, a 6'6" redshirt senior transfer out of Washington State, was apparently pining to be sought after by one club in particular: your UCLA Bruins, his competition tonight.

Rodman, son of five-time NBA champion, two-time league Defensive Player of the Year, and 2011 Hall of Famer Dennis, grew up in Newport Beach, and apparently considered the Blue and Gold his "dream school." When it never happened, he filed away the perceived diss, per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of The Los Angeles Times.

“I’ve always wanted to beat them for however long I’ve been in college,” Rodman revealed. “We’re just playing like we got nothing to lose,” Rodman said of his 8-11 Trojans, who like the Bruins have a slim shot at actually making the NCAA Tournament this spring.

Rodman has started 17 of his 18 contests with the Trojans this season, averaging 7.3 points on .374/.383/.767 shooting splits, 4.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.6 steals a night.

He's not even the most famous son of a Hall of Fame superstar on this year's roster. That'd be freshman combo guard Bronny James, a four-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth who's the son of Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James.