They said he wouldn’t be able to form a core group of basketball players to accompany him on his North Korea tour but Dennis Rodman proved them wrong again… he told the press January 6, 2013, that a game he and other former National Basketball Association players are planning in North Korea will be a “birthday present” for one of their most well known fans, North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
To recap: Rodman travelled to North Korea for the first time February 2013 with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series play. After getting together, Rodman started calling the North Korea Leader Kim, a “friend for life” and returned before Christmas last year to hold tryouts for the North Korean basketball team, though he did not meet with Mr Kim then.
See previous coverage on Pressenza:
http://www.pressenza.com/2013/12/north-korea-rodman-aims-diplomatic-win/
Reported on major news outlets throughout the USA covering the departure of the basketball boys, one instance on Yahoo News has it: “Rodman, ex-NBA All Stars arrive in North Korea – “The marshal is actually trying to change this country in a great way,” Rodman said of Kim.”Just to even have us here, it’s an awesome feeling. I want these guys here to show the world, and speak about North Korea in a great light,” he said. “I hope people will have a different view about North Korea.”
It was elsewhere reported previously that Rodman had received death threats for his Korea visits.
An online video clip has former Knicks player Smith saying he hopes the game will lead to better relations between the USA and North Korea.
“It’s new being here, but overall the concept is not new,” Smith said. “The team is made up of a lot of guys who really care, that’s the most important, it’s not about bringing dream-teamers. It’s about guys who are coming that want to be a part of this, that care, and really that care about humanity.”
The very fact that Rodman and co are creating this international fuss and making publicly accessible statements like this goes a long way to promote better relations and relaxing tensions
between the two countries, and confronts the nay sayers with clear indications that the ploys of these ‘mere sportsmen’ are taking things further than the politicians – at least since former USA president Clinton was halted in his reapproachment tracks by Bush policies on North Korea.
North Americans are regarded as enemies in North Korea since the two countries never signed a peace treaty to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War. Thousands of USA troops are still based in South Korea, and the Demilitarized Zone between the North and South is one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world.
To again quote Smith: “It’s new being here, but overall the concept is not new,” Smith said. “The team is made up of a lot of guys who really care, that’s the most important, it’s not about bringing dream-teamers. It’s about guys who are coming that want to be a part of this, that care, and really that care about humanity.”
It’s not about money either – which is a welcome change for the money dominated games that go on today under the sporting pretext.
What’s next? Ping pong would have that level playing fields quality because basketball is for the tall lads and lasses whereas on the flat tables reach might help but height, not really. Leader Kim could reciprocate to show the local talent with a ping pong team to the USA – that’ll be the day for sighs of relief across the Koreas, Japan, China and even in the USA – among the general populace.
