For years, Dennis Rodman was the outspoken bad boy of basketball.

A tattooed and pierced star of the NBA, he was a rebounder for such legendary teams as the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now retired from the courts, his life is still the stuff of movies. The NBA Hall of Famer — whose nickname is “The Worm” — counts North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as one of his more controversial friends. He was married to model-actress Carmen Electra, and he once had a short-lived but highly publicized affair with Madonna.

Last year, Rodman wrote a children’s book entitled Dennis the Wild Bull.

And now he’s lending his name to the Dennis Rodman Original Bad Ass Premium Vodka.

He was in Calgary Saturday for the official launch of the vodka in Alberta.

Rodman turned down a last-minute telephone interview with the Calgary Herald, opting instead to answer a few questions via e-mail. (“Dennis finally woke up and gave some answers,” read the accompanying message from the publicist.)

Here’s what Rodman has to say about vodka, children’s books and, well, Rodman.

Q: Why vodka? Why not, oh, cognac or gin or wine or scotch?

A: “I’ve always been a vodka drinker. It just gives you so many options — drink it straight, mix it with soda, make a martini — so it just made sense for me when I finally got my own spirit, to start with vodka. I’m sure down the line, you will see my name on a tequila, flavoured vodkas, and maybe also a rum or a whiskey. Commercially it makes sense too, as vodka really is America’s (and probably Canada’s) drink of choice, too.”