Google – AFP, 19 December 2013
 |
Former US
NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman speaks to members of the
media as he makes
his way through Beijing's international airport on December 19,
2013 (AFP, Wang
Zhao)
|
Beijing —
Former NBA star Dennis Rodman said Thursday he is hoping a basketball game he
is organising in North Korea could "engage" the American people and
US President Barack Obama.
"Sport
is so important to people around the world so I hope this is going to engage
the American people, especially Obama," the eccentric former Chicago Bulls
star told reporters at Beijing airport, on his way to Pyongyang.
Rodman is
organising an exhibition game between North Korea and a team of mainly ex-NBA
players on January 8, to mark the birthday of reclusive leader Kim Jong-Un.
The young
ruler, who was educated in Switzerland, is reported to be a keen basketball fan
and especially of the Chicago Bulls, for whom Rodman played a key role in
winning three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s.
The Bulls
give Kim and Obama one of the few things they can agree on.
Obama, a
keen basketball player, is also known to be a die-hard fan of the team, who are
based in the city where the US president forged his early political career.
The heavily
tattooed Rodman has developed an unlikely relationship with the North Korean
leader since making his first trip there in March, when he declared Kim a
"friend for life".
Earlier
this month Kim had uncle and former mentor Jang Song-Thaek executed in a
surprise move, but Rodman distanced himself from political events in the
country.
"I
have got nothing to do with that," he said.
The ex-NBA
team is expected to be announced during Rodman's visit to the reclusive state,
his third of the year.
Rodman
brushed aside official warnings by the US government to its citizens not to
travel to North Korea, saying "there is nothing I can do about that"
and adding that "if something happens it is beyond my control".
He also
said he would have "a good conversation" with Kim "to help the
world", without elaborating.
Accompanying
Rodman to Pyongyang were Irish bookmakers and trip sponsors Paddy Power --
which has said the match schedule had not been affected by political events --
and a television documentary crew.
Paddy Power
spokesman Rory Scott said Rodman was not being paid for his involvement in the
exhibition match - which he billed "The Big Bang in Pyongyang".
"Dennis
is just doing this. We never discuss that (payment) but we are not paying him
for this," he said.
Pyongyang
is holding a US citizen, Kenneth Bae, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail on
charges of trying to topple the North Korean regime, but US officials said
earlier this week that they had not been in touch with Rodman over the visit
and he did not represent the US government.
Rodman is
one of the few Westerners to have met with Kim, who took over following the
death of his father former supremo Kim Jong-Il.
On Tuesday,
massed ranks of military and party leaders pledged complete loyalty to Kim on
the second anniversary of his father's death.
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