Heavy criticism for Dennis Rodman’s North Korea game

The lasting question of Dennis Rodman’s exhibition game against the North Korean national team in Pyongyang this week is why other American players, including Kenny Anderson, Vin Baker and Doug Christie, went along. Naturally, one assumes that these retired professional players agreed to make the trip to get a payday. That’s typically what professional athletes do: play sports in return for payment.

In an interview on CNN this weekend, Charles Smith -- who has said he travels with Rodman often -- insisted that the Americans did not take money from North Korea.

Dennis Rodman apologized on Friday for comments he made in an interview on CNN criticizing Kenneth Bae, an American citizen currently imprisoned in North Korea. In a follow-up with Jethro Mullen of CNN.com, Rodman admitted to drinking beforehand:

Bae and his family were “shocked” by Rodman, a fellow American, and his actions. His sister told Mullen the following:

Dennis Rodman’s basketball exhibition in North Korea has taken on national attention, turning what was supposed to be a birthday present to his “friend,” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, into a controversial issue. In the midst of scrutiny, NBA commissioner David Stern distanced the NBA from the overseas excursion. He released a strong statement, clarifying the NBA would not “participate or support” the event and did not believe it could help bridge “cultural divides,” according to The Associated Press:

The National Basketball Retired Players Association took the same stance as Stern, releasing a statement that they also do not support Rodman’s decision and have no affiliation with the game, via The Associated Press:

Rodman’s decision to affiliate himself with Kim Jong Un and North Korea has become a hot topic because of politics and circumstance regarding the country. Rodman and his team were interviewed on CNN and host Chris Cuomo questioned whether they were doing the “right” thing by playing in the game.

Rodman became emotional but Smith repeatedly stepped into the interview, speaking for the players and trying to calm the situation down.

Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman had a screaming fit on Tuesday during an interview on CNN. In Pyongyang, North Korea with his “All-Star team,” Rodman was questioned by host Chris Cuomo about whether or not he and his group of ex-pro players should be traveling there. Rodman and co. are supposed to play an exhibition game on Wednesday, the birthday of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

When Cuomo brought up American citizen Kenneth Bae, who is being held captive in North Korea, Rodman became defensive, suggesting that Bae had done something wrong but not getting into any specifics. From CNN’s story: