27th Jul 2014

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Alcohol addiction and declining marketability have sidelined Dennis Rodman and rendered him unable to pay an “unjustified” amount of child support, representatives for the former NBA player said today.

Rodman’s manager, Darren Prince, told ABCNews.com today that the former Chicago Bulls’ rebound star has a “well-documented drinking problem, and all the stress from the divorce and not seeing his kids isn’t helping. As people know, it’s a daily struggle. He has good days and bad ones and good weeks and bad weeks.”

While Rodman isn’t in an inpatient treatment program, Prince said, “He does see a counselor from time to time.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that Rodman’s attorney Linnea Willis said Rodman “is broke and cannot afford any additional fees,” in court papers filed today. She also said he is “extremely sick.”

The filing came in response to allegations from the attorney for Rodman’s third wife, Michelle Rodman, that as of March 1, Rodman owed $808,935 in back child support for the couple’s 9- and 10-year-old children and $51,441 in back spousal support. He was previously ordered to pay his ex-wife $50,000 per month for child support.

Willis said in a statement that “even the wealthiest celebrities in the world” would not be ordered to pay $50,000 a month, and while Rodman hasn’t been able to make payments of that amount, “it is absolutely untrue that Mr. Rodman failed to pay child or spousal support. Mr. Rodman has always provided support to his family to the best of his ability and will continue to do so.”

She accused Jack Kayajanian, Michelle Rodman’s lawyer, of “a smear campaign” against him. Kayajanian did not immediately respond to ABCNews.com’s requests for comment.

Rodman faces up to 20 days in jail for failure to pay spousal and child support, according to Kayajanian. Willis said she’s hopeful that Rodman will not go to jail, “as he has never been found in contempt previously, did not do any willful acts of misconduct [and] has paid support to the best of his ability.”

Rodman’s most recent business endeavor was launching a topless women’s basketball team with a New York strip club. Prince told ABCNews.com he didn’t know how much money Rodman makes a year, but said his main source of revenue come from appearances and product endorsements.

“He’s not hurting, compared to retired athletes, with what he makes, but he’s certainly not making what he made when he was paying with the Bulls,” Prince said.

Rodman, 50, has been married and divorced three times and has an additional child with his first wife. He’s been in rehab multiple times, most prominently on the third season of “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.”

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