NBA Legend Announced For WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026

One of the biggest crossover stars in pro wrestling history will be taking his place in the WWE Hall of Fame next month in Las Vegas.

It's typical that a celebrity finds themselves among the inductees every year for the WWE Hall of Fame, and this year's name is one synonymous with one of the hottest periods in pro wrestling history, even if they technically didn't lace of the boots in a WWE ring. In fact, they did so for WCW.

Crossover: Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April, per ESPN sources. Rodman made his WCW debut in 1997 and famously skipped a practice during the 1998 NBA Finals for a wrestling match alongside Hulk Hogan. Two HOFs for Rodman.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2026

ESPN NBA reporter Shams Charania shared on Friday morning that Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman will be going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, joining the likes of AJ Styles, Stephanie McMahon, and Demolition. ESPN has a working partnership with WWE, with WWE airing its Premium Live Events through the company's ESPN Unlimited platform.

WWE confirmed the news later on Friday.

Rodman's iconic NBA run

Dennis Rodman is bound for the WWE Hall of Fame. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The 64-year-old Rodman is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, and cemented his legacy as one of Michael Jordan's most prolific weapons during the Chicago Bulls dynasty that dominated the NBA in the 1990s. He would win three championships with the Bulls, while also collecting two rings playing with the Detroit Pistons.

Rodman is a two-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team seven times from 1986 to 2000.

He would be named one of the NBA's top 75 players of all time, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Though his playing career is iconic, his character is what led him to the world of wrestling.

The nWo recruits Rodman

Rodman was a big wrestling fan, and first appeared in WCW in March of 1997, eventually joining forces with "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and the nWo. He would make his in-ring debut at Bash at the Beach that year, teaming with Hogan in a losing effort to Lex Luger and The Giant.

The quirky NBA star would make headlines the following year, as he would skip practice during the NBA Finals in order to appear for WCW. He and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz had built a feud that would be ultimately paid off at Bash at the Beach in 1998, with Rodman and Hogan defeating Malone and DDP at the pay-per-view.

He would also wrestle at Road Wild in 1999 against "Macho Man" Randy Savage, losing to the WWE Hall of Fame. Rodman ended up making a brief return to wrestling in 2023, appearing for AEW on AEW Collision and All Out, accompanying The Acclaimed.