Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebounds?

[AIRJ23]

As my classic Bulls (Rodman era), using the ‘96 Bulls coach playbook, I find Rodman plays closer to a modern power forward loitering at the perimeter. Therefore he doesn’t get nearly as many offensive rebounds as he should. Is there a way to program him to just stand under the rim on offense and attack for rebounds?

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

Run the 3 Out, 2 in freelance

[jeebs9]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

Run the 3 Out, 2 in freelance

The triangle freelance should work too. The 4 and 5 rarely go pass the nail in any situation. Also sometime a player can dash over little guys when they try to box them out.

[dwayne12345]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

In addition to what Jeebs and 24th mentioned check his tendencies. The game isn't in front of me, and I never checked. I would check these ones specifically


Fastbreak cut vs spot up tend should be 0

Spot Up 3 point should be 0

Spot Up Mid should be close to 0


Honestly the only shooting tendencies that I would give any value above 0 to for Rodman on the Bulls is Shot Close and Shot Under Basket. That will have him tend to float into the lane even if you run other offenses than the Triangle.



I imagine that that is where his tendency values are now, but you never know.

[jimbo3772]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

His post-up tendency on the 90s Bulls teams is set at 0 (and it's at 15 for the all-time Bulls and Pistons). When I want to get a guy playing more high post, I lower that post-up tendency...it causes them to hang around the FT line more instead of playing as much down low. However, I'm not really sure you want Rodman posting up....you just want him around the rim. You could try jacking his post-up tendency to 99 and drop his touches tendency to 1 so they don't really try to get him the ball down there.

[AIRJ23]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

Run the 3 Out, 2 in freelance

The triangle freelance should work too. The 4 and 5 rarely go pass the nail in any situation. Also sometime a player can dash over little guys when they try to box them out.

Awesome, thanks. I don’t have the game in front of me right now so to be sure, do you mean the coaching style (e.g triangle, balanced, etc.)? Currently I have it set to triangle. Don’t recall seeing the freelance options but maybe just can’t remember.

In addition to what Jeebs and 24th mentioned check his tendencies. The game isn't in front of me, and I never checked. I would check these ones specifically


Fastbreak cut vs spot up tend should be 0

Spot Up 3 point should be 0

Spot Up Mid should be close to 0


Honestly the only shooting tendencies that I would give any value above 0 to for Rodman on the Bulls is Shot Close and Shot Under Basket. That will have him tend to float into the lane even if you run other offenses than the Triangle.



I imagine that that is where his tendency values are now, but you never know.

Awesome thanks. Will check those. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the Rodmans has correct tendencies for what I’m looking for and perhaps others don’t. I’ll give it a look.

His post-up tendency on the 90s Bulls teams is set at 0 (and it's at 15 for the all-time Bulls and Pistons). When I want to get a guy playing more high post, I lower that post-up tendency...it causes them to hang around the FT line more instead of playing as much down low. However, I'm not really sure you want Rodman posting up....you just want him around the rim. You could try jacking his post-up tendency to 99 and drop his touches tendency to 1 so they don't really try to get him the ball down there.

Yeah that may solve it actually. I thought of trying to let the CPU know he’s a “post up player” so they send him under the basket at least. It’s just super annoying when you got Rodman spotted up at the perimeter which is a no win situation when you know if he’s under the glass he’ll snatch everything that goes up lol.

[jyoung]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

The easiest way to get a PF isolated down low 100% of the time is to call a post-up play (they usually start with the word "punch") for Rodman but don't throw him the ball so he'll just stay down there while the rest of your team spaces out around him.

Aside from that method--or switching to one of the 3-out freelances, which will have him sharing the paint with his team's other big man--I only know of two other ways to get a PF to setup down low:

If you call for a quick iso while in the Bulls 88 freelance it will send one of your bigs to the dunker spot on the low block (often the PF, sometimes the C; I don't know how it decides which one to put there).

Warriors freelance will also sometimes have the PF start on the low block (other times it's the C), and if he's not down there, he'll at least make himself useful on the perimeter by setting off-ball screens for your wing shooters.

And of course, putting your team's on-the-fly rebound setting (accessed by pressing right on the d-pad) to neutral will have your bigs crash for boards while your guards and SF sprint back to stop fastbreak leakers.

Awesome, thanks. I don’t have the game in front of me right now so to be sure, do you mean the coaching style (e.g triangle, balanced, etc.)? Currently I have it set to triangle. Don’t recall seeing the freelance options but maybe just can’t remember.

You have to pause the game and go into the offensive settings menu to select your freelance offenses this year.

[AIRJ23]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

The easiest way to get a PF isolated down low 100% of the time is to call a post-up play (they usually start with the word "punch") for Rodman but not throw him the ball so he'll just stay down there while the rest of your team spaces out around him.

Aside from that method--or switching to one of the 3-out freelances, which will have him sharing the paint with his team's other big man--I only know of two other ways to get a PF to setup down low:

If you call for a quick iso while in the Bulls 88 freelance it will send one of your bigs to the dunker spot on the low block (often the PF, sometimes the C; I don't know how it decides which one to put there).

Warriors freelance also will sometimes have the PF start on the low block (other times it's the C), and if he's not down there, he'll at least make himself useful on the perimeter by setting off-ball screens for your wing shooters.

And of course, putting your team's on-the-fly rebound setting (accessed by pressing left on the d-pad) to neutral will have your bigs crash for boards while your guards and SF sprint back to stop fastbreak leakers.



You have to pause the game and go into the offensive settings menu to select your freelance offenses this year.

Oh got it. Good info. I don’t do manual play calling (other than fist and iso occasionally) but by setting it to those freelance offenses are you guys referring to plays that will be called manually, or instead will it replace my actual offensive strategy (set currently to triangle)? Just wanna be sure I know how to activate it (and if it’s something I need to activate manually each play) and if it needs to be activated in the settings each game.

[jyoung]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

The freelances aren't really plays per say they're more just improvised actions that will automatically trigger according to where on the floor the ball happens to be at a given time.

I believe this year it defaults to 3-out for most of the classic teams, but to access the full list of freelances (there are tons of them), you have to pause the game and go into the offensive settings page.

So you can better see what the AI is trying to do with their freelance actions, I also recommend going into your coach settings and making sure that team communication is turned on and the on-court play design artwork is set to "show all" (this stuff is all turned off by default).

[AIRJ23]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

So as expected all of the Rodmans have different tendencies so I’ll have to go through them and either find the most accurate or adjust.

I’m assuming “crash” tendency means crashing boards? If so it’s way too low. Also his putback tendency is way too low.

EDIT: Ok I checked and “crash” has nothing to do with rebounding. I’m also rethinking raising his putback tendency way higher since although he was a master put backer, he also often snatched the rebound and kicked it back out.

[Serra11]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

I know it's a very old thread but I have the same issue with NBA 2k25...
Rodman outside the 3pt line like a stretch 4!
Only certain plays can solve this issue or tendencies can help?
He has Legendary for both rebounds badges.

[jeebs9]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

You've come to the thru place. It's about your freelance. A lot of people underestimate this exact thing. You have to choose freelance that work with the players you have. This is why I use Flow and Triangle. This keeps the 4 and 5 near or around the paint. Using Active 4-1 one is stupid when you have a rebounder. Use Active 3-2.

[Serra11]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

You've come to the thru place. It's about your freelance. A lot of people underestimate this exact thing. You have to choose freelance that work with the players you have. This is why I use Flow and Triangle. This keeps the 4 and 5 near or around the paint. Using Active 4-1 one is stupid when you have a rebounder. Use Active 3-2.

Thank you for getting back to me Jeebs!
If Freelance is the only solution, there's another problem...
Scenario: MyEras quick play, Bulls vs. Sixers.
If I edit Jackson's freelance preferences and I choose triangle, the same happens with John Lucas' instructions...
It seems a bug to me but Defensive and Offensive assignments don't work and they're the same for both coaches when you change them.
And I don't want to see Lucas' Sixers playing the triangle.
That's why I hoped there was a tendency or a badge to make Rodman acting like his real counterpart, on offense...

[Limasbravo]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

As my classic Bulls (Rodman era), using the ‘96 Bulls coach playbook, I find Rodman plays closer to a modern power forward loitering at the perimeter. Therefore he doesn’t get nearly as many offensive rebounds as he should. Is there a way to program him to just stand under the rim on offense and attack for rebounds?

Definitely not a modern stretch PF. Definitely should get more rebounds.

But 3s not unheard of, just really rare. Rodman hitting 3s were a thing of beauty. Not Manute Bol hitting 3s beauty, but close.


I was always a huge Rodman fan but I was very conflicted during his Bulls years. Wanted him to do well and win more rings but that meant Jordan and Bulls would get more rings (liked Pippen getting more rings).

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[Serra11]

Re: Is there a way I can make Rodman (AI off ball) posted under rim to grab Off.Rebou

Definitely not a modern stretch PF. Definitely should get more rebounds.

But 3s not unheard of, just really rare. Rodman hitting 3s were a thing of beauty. Not Manute Bol hitting 3s beauty, but close.


I was always a huge Rodman fan but I was very conflicted during his Bulls years. Wanted him to do well and win more rings but that meant Jordan and Bulls would get more rings (liked Pippen getting more rings).

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Rodman could shot threes but I prefer to have him under the rim all the time, on offense.
He's absolutely okay with the defensive rebounds but I can't stand to see him constantly playing outside the arc on offense, when you call a triangle play.
Who designed these schemes has never seen a Bulls game during the Phil Jackson's era.
And it's incredible that there's still no tendency that leads a player to crash the offensive board, in 2025...