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Trinity Rodman, an Olympic gold medalist and rising soccer star, is speaking out about her complicated relationship with her father, NBA legend Dennis Rodman. In a candid interview on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast, the 21-year-old described her father as absent for most of her life, saying, “He’s not a dad. Maybe by blood, but nothing else.”
Trinity, who was drafted into the NWSL at just 18 and has since become a key player for the Washington Spirit and the US Women’s National Team, revealed the struggles she and her family faced. At one point, she and her mother lived out of a car. “We tried to live with him,” she said, “but he was partying 24/7.”
Despite earning over $27 million during his NBA career, Dennis reportedly stopped providing financial support after divorcing Trinity’s mother in 2012. Trinity expressed deep frustration over his sporadic appearances, recalling how his unexpected attendance at one of her playoff games left her in tears. “He took this happy moment from me,” she said. “He f**ked with my head again.”
The embrace that followed went viral, sparking hope for reconciliation. But Trinity says the hope was short-lived. “Radio silence,” she said. “That was me every time. He’d come around, and I’d think, ‘Here we go again.’ Then he’d disappear for months—or years.”
Dennis Rodman, who didn’t meet his own father until his late 30s, has previously acknowledged his shortcomings as a parent. “It’s very hard for me to break out of that cycle,” he told ESPN in 2019.
For Trinity, the pain of her father’s absence has shaped her resilience. With 10 goals and 9 assists in 45 appearances for the USWNT, she’s already made her mark as a standout athlete. But her story is also a reminder that even gold medalists carry heavy burdens off the field.
