Trinity Rodman wants to be known as more than Dennis Rodman's daughter after becoming a pro soccer player straight out of high school

• Trinity Rodman is a great athlete in her own right, even if her dad was a superstar athlete.
• The 18-year-old forward was selected second overall in the 2021 NWSL Draft.
• After the Washington Spirit picked Rodman, she told the media, "I'm just excited to be known as Trinity Rodman, not Dennis Rodman's daughter."

Trinity Rodman is ready to write her own story.

The 18-year-old second overall pick in Wednesday night's National Women's Soccer League draft is one of the youngest draftees into the league in recent history. And though she's garnered inordinate attention for her last name - which she inherits from Dennis Rodman, the NBA legend and Hall of Famer known to her as dad - the newest addition to the Washington Spirit says she's "excited to pave my own path and get better throughout this journey."

"Obviously, he was an amazing athlete, and I got those genes from him," Rodman said of her father. "But I'm just excited to be known as Trinity Rodman, not Dennis Rodman's daughter."

As a stellar athlete in her own right, she's more than earned it. The No. 1 recruit in the country last year, Rodman committed to play for Washington State but ultimately declared for the 2021 NWSL Draft before ever stepping foot on the pitch for the Cougars.

But she's already proven herself on one of women's soccer's biggest stages. As a member of the U-20 Women's National Team, Rodman scored twice to lead the youth squad to a decisive 4-1 victory over Mexico that sealed their 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship.

Even still, Rodman acknowledged the surreality of her early NWSL draft selection given her youth.

"To even just be in the draft with my situation and my age is insane, but to be number two to an amazing team is out of this world like I couldn't ask for anything more," Rodman said. "D.C. has just got an awesome program, awesome team. The coach [Richie Burke] is amazing. I've talked to him a couple times. I know he's a hard head coach, but I'm so excited to be his player and learn and get better."

To his credit, Trinity's dad was pretty incredible on the basketball court. He's best known for his role on the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons and his stint with the Chicago Bulls in the late 1990s when he teamed up with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to win back-to-back-to-back NBA championships. A prolific rebounder, Rodman led the NBA in rebounds per game for seven consecutive seasons - including his three with the Bulls.

But Rodman was perhaps even better known for his off-court antics than for his remarkable abilities on the hardwood. His eccentric style, enigmatic personality, and penchant for partying have all drawn interest beyond that of the average NBA fan. And, later in life, his unlikely friendship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has added to his unique allure.

Trinity appears to be charting her own course already, one that's significantly more straightforward than that of her father. A 2020 article from The Athletic notes that Dennis "has been in and out of his daughter's life over the years." But he's still made a point to boast on social media as any other proud dad would.

Trinity's mother, Michelle Moyer, mostly raised Trinity and her older brother, D.J., on her own, according to The Athletic. Moyer was by her daughter's side Wednesday night as she became a professional athlete, donning a Spirit jersey and beaming with pride.

Rodman knows that her induction into the NWSL's ranks is just one step in her journey to becoming known as more than just the daughter of an NBA icon. But she has an unrelenting competitive drive, stunning work ethic, and raw, natural talent that will undoubtedly go a long way in helping her achieve that goal.

"This has been my dream forever," Rodman said. "I've been playing soccer since I was four years old. Right now, I think it's the perfect time to get in there and learn and become a better player."