Before Dennis Rodman became a household name among basketball fans, he was a relative unknown at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

His below-the-radar status changed in 1986, when he attended the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and won Most Valuable Player. That set the stage for a brilliant NBA career.

A.J. English III and Melvin Johnson hope for similar status upgrades following last week’s 63rd edition of what amounts to a pro audition.

English, son of former Virginia Union University star A.J. English Jr., was this year’s PIT Most Valuable Player after averaging 17.3 points and hitting 11 3-pointers, leading team Roger Brown’s to the title.

The 6-foot-4 English starred at Iona University in New Rochelle, N.Y., and was a finalist for the Jerry West Award that is given to the nation’s top shooting guard.

Joining English on the PIT All-Tournament squad was Johnson, the former Virginia Commonwealth University all-time 3-point marksman and All-Atlantic 10 pick. In Portsmouth, Johnson averaged 12.7 points with six 3-point connections for team Norfolk Sports Club.

English and Johnson need all the exposure they can muster. Neither is showing up now on NBA Mock Drafts — but that could change.

Also making the PIT All-Tournament team was Portsmouth native and former Florida Gator Dorian Finney-Smith. Finney-Smith paced Portsmouth’s I.C. Norcom High School to State Group AAA titles in 2010 and 2011 at VCU’s Siegel Center in Richmond.

Held at Churchland High School, the PIT is attended by scouts from all NBA teams, as well as reps from the NBA D League and pro squads overseas.

All PIT participants are hopeful of receiving invitations to the NBA Pre-Draft Combine May 11 through 15 in Chicago. The NBA draft will be June 23 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Some of the NBA’s all-time greats are PIT alumni. The impressive list includes Rick Barry, John Stockton, Earl Monroe, Scottie Pippen, Dave Cowens, John Lucas and Rodman.

The one-game scoring record, however, is held by a former Richmonder, the late Charles Bonaparte, who starred at Armstrong High School and Norfolk State University.

At the 1969 PIT, Bonaparte set the one-game standard of 59 points that still stands. The 6-foot-2 guard was drafted by the San Diego Rockets, now the Houston Rockets, in the third round — he was the 35th pick overall — but did not play in the NBA.

Bonaparte, who later coached basketball at Armstrong High School, died in 1996 at age 49.