VANCOUVER – Can Dennis Rodman thaw decades of frosty relations between North Korea and the U.S.?
Well, he’s certainly trying to and that’s no laughing matter according to him.
After returning from a second visit to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), as the country is also known, Rodman announced Monday he’s going to recruit 12 fellow former NBA stars to play a diplomatic basketball game with some of North Korea’s finest players.
With the invitation of North Korea’s Ministry of Sport and the support of Irish betting agency Paddy Power, Rodman will spearhead the plans for the January 2014 game, which he said is “basketball diplomacy.”
Rodman has become buddies with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, spending time with the leader and his family in Pyongyang. But, now he wants to build a bond between North Korea and the West.
WATCH: Dennis Rodman says Kim Jong Un ‘friend for life’
The retired Hall of Fame player hasn’t yet secured any teammates for his diplomatic duel, but he’s hoping to court the likes of his former Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen but said he had no expectations that Bulls legend Michael Jordan will take part.
Those that do take part will stay in Pyongyang for one week in January, attempting to “help us all get along and see eye to eye through basketball.”
Rodman will travel to DPRK a month earlier to help train the North Korean players in advance of the face-off.
READ MORE: Rodman met North Korean leader again, but no release of jailed American seen
“Kim loves basketball, and he’s interested in building trust and understanding through sport and cultural exchanges,” Rodman said.
According to The Associated Press, Kim has asked him to train his players to compete in the 2016 Olympics and offered to allow the Hall of Famer to write a book about him.
He said the tournament was not just a gimmick.
Rodman also took a swipe directly at Obama, pointing to the camera and saying, “Why Obama are you afraid to talk to Dennis Rodman? You not afraid to talk to Beyonce and Jay-Z. Why not me? I’m pretty important now right… Talk to me.”
He responded defensively to skeptical questions — such as one reporter asking who Rodman’s top five favourite dictators were — saying “I am not a joke.”
“Take me seriously because I have the only interview with this guy,” Rodman said.
Interestingly enough co-organizer Paddy Power didn’t exactly show the same regard for Kim, referring to him in a press release as “pint-sized leader” and adding the whole affair is “all very WTF.”
Rodman said Kim has a bad wrap.
“If he was gonna bomb the world he’d a done it,” Rodman said. “This kid don’t want war.”
The unlikely pair have developed an apparent friendship.
Rodman told a reporter with the Guardian Kim is an “awesome guy” and a “good dad.”
He also reportedly revealed the name of third-generation dictator’s new daughter — Ju-ae.
Paddy Power CEO Paddy Power (yes, that’s correct) joined Rodman on the trip.
Power said Rodman’s dream for basketball diplomacy came up over dinner, when Rodman was teamed up with the bookmaker as their spokesperson while they were taking bets on who the new pope would be.
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