NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman has often found himself in the news for one bizarre reason after another. However, his friendship with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un takes the cake. Rodman visited North Korea for the first time when their relations and the U.S. were at an all-time low. Over the years, Rodman has frequently visited the country and has praised them for their hospitality. Jong-un even had a special request for Rodman regarding the country’s basketball team.

Jong-un’s apparent love of the 90’s Chicago Bulls has helped create a relationship with Rodman. The 5x NBA champion has always spoken of Jong-un in high regard and even tried his best to ease the tension between the U.S. and North Korea. Moreover, in 2013, Jong-un asked for Rodman’s help in training the country’s basketball team over a period of time.

Kim Jong-un wanted the help of Dennis Rodman to improve the country’s basketball team

After his second visit to North Korea in 2013, Rodman revealed in a press conference that Jong-un had asked him to come back to North Korea to help the country’s basketball team. “They said, ‘Dennis, we’d love you to do one thing for us. For the next Olympics, can you train our Olympic team to compete at the Olympics for the next three years?'” he said.

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He continued, “I’m like, ‘Okay, I will.’ He gave me the invitation for the next three years to train whoever I want”. Rodman visited North Korea to train the team before setting up a match against them in honor of Jong-un’s birthday. Rodman selected a team of former NBA players to play against a top North Korean Senior National team in an exhibition game. He called the game his version of ‘basketball diplomacy’.

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Rodman once received applause for his toast to Jong-un

While Rodman once admitted that he wasn’t Jong-un’s first preference from the legendary Bulls team, he has since built a strong bond with the Supreme Leader of North Korea. He even called Jong-un a “friend for life”. The 7x NBA Rebounding champion once gave a toast to Jong-un on his birthday.

He surprised everyone there with his choice of words. He called out Jong-un’s father and grandfather for doing “f****d up sh*t” but admitted that Kim was making a change. Even though it was a risky thing to say, he received applause for the toast.

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Rodman has done many crazy things in his life. However, even in his wildest imagination, he wouldn’t have predicted becoming a friend of Kim Jong-un. Life can certainly be mysterious at times.