Basketball legend Dennis Rodman swerved, ducked and jumped his way to hero status in a winning debut for the Brighton Bears.

In front of a capacity crowd of 1,600 and 60 journalists from across Europe, the former NBA star showed the spark which made him a hit on Celebrity Big Brother.

The game was delayed by half an hour as fans queued outside to witness Rodman in action.

But it wasn't just his sporting prowess that had his admirers waiting in the cold to meet him at the Triangle leisure centre in Burgess Hill on Saturday night.

Cheeky Lindsey Ross, 21, of Hurst Road, Hassocks, tried to steal a kiss but was spurned.

She said: "He reckoned he wasn't allowed - what a shame.

"My brother's a big, big basketball fan so I knew who he was before Big Brother.

"If he comes back on Valentine's Day he'll have to kiss me."

After spending three weeks with George Galloway, Worthing's Preston and eventual winner Chantelle Houghton, Rodman signed a one-game deal for Saturday's clash with the Guildford Heat.

The 6ft 8in 44-year-old arrived in a white limousine just an hour before the game, sporting his regulation baseball cap and dark glasses, having never before met his team-mates.

Fans ran out to meet him screaming his name as minders ushered him into the building.

Ecstatic fan Matt Edwards, 13, of Windlesham Gardens, Brighton, said: "We come to see the Bears play all the time but Dennis Rodman's a bit of a hero.

"I've watched him play basketball on telly and he's great. It's really amazing to see him."

The Chicago Bulls legend scored two baskets and made three vital blocks as the Bears ran out 91-88 winners. But not all the regular fans were impressed.

One corporate season ticket holder, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's ridiculous. It's costing about £20,000 for Dennis Rodman and it's great to have him but that's probably a third of the team's budget.

"It makes no sense. We might get a few more fans, which is good, but as someone whose been coming for four years it doesn't seem right to me."

With courtside tickets costing £35, others believed Rodman's fee would pay for itself.

Season ticket holder Donald Clark, from Brighton, said: "It's a big bonus to see him here.

"I think Dennis Rodman is a Brighton kind of person with all his cross-dressing and that.

"He's an exuberant character, although I was more of a George Galloway fan in Big Brother."

Rodman said after the game: "I wasn't here to steal the show, I just wanted to have some fun and help the players. But after being in the house for three weeks, saying this, saying that, it was difficult to come back and get really, really focused.

"I think I said more 'f***-yous' in that house than in my whole life and if I stepped on anybody then that was their luck.

"It was very difficult being in there but I told them every day that Chantelle had been set up to win that show.

"Still, I played my role and hopefully she does well and good luck to her."

Rodman said he is ready to return to Britain for two more games next month.

And, like many fans, young Matt Edwards was in no doubt he wanted to see the star back in Sussex. He said: "Hopefully he'll play three games. If he does we'll re-sign him and then we'll target Michael Jordan!"

Coach Nick Nurse later apologised to fans who had trouble getting into the game.

He said: "The event simply got too big and we were not able to handle the combination of tickets, media, and organisation in a 48-hour turnaround time.

"We know we made several mistakes and there were some very unhappy people at the match. I just want to hold my hand up and say sorry."