During a recent interview with VladTV, Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman revealed a lot of information about his “friendship” with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Back in 2018, Rodman revealed in a TMZ interview that he had visited North Korea back in 2013, according to Complex. The Supreme Leader of North Korea had apparently taken Rodman “condo shopping,” and wanted him to move to the country permanently. The recent revelation has led to the resurfacing of the invitation laid out to none other than Michael Jordan.
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Kim Jong Un, Rodman revealed, is a huge Chicago Bulls fan. He had initially invited MJ to North Korea. However, Jordan said no, which eventually led to an invitation for Dennis Rodman. Rodman took up the offer, and ended up forging a friendship with Kim Jong Un.
Michael Jordan refused an invitation to visit North Korea, unlike Dennis Rodman
In the TMZ interview, Rodman revealed that Michael Jordan straight-up refused to visit the country. He did not specify why MJ did so, but one can assume it has something to do with the controversial nature of the leader’s regime.
Perhaps ironic considering North Korea’s relations with the US, the dictator was a huge fan of the 90s Bulls team. Under MJ and Phil Jackson, the Bulls won 6 NBA championships. Kim Jong Un’s invitation to Jordan was an extension of his support for the team.
EXCLUSIVE: Dennis Rodman:Kim Jong Un Took Me Condo Shopping, Wanted Me to Move to North Korea (@dennisrodman) https://t.co/LaowZOHICV
— vladtv (@vladtv) July 21, 2023
Still, it would have been a highly controversial move if Jordan would have visited the country. Rodman, however, known for his bold choices, took up the invitation. He revealed that the friendship they forged was purely based on sports, and he knew nothing about the bad political decision that Kim Jong Un was infamous for.
Rodman’s friendship with Kim Jong Un was purely “sports-based”
What followed might be a mundane friendship. However, the North Korean dictator treated Rodman as a friend. He took the Bulls player “condo shopping,” and even wanted him to move permanently to the country.
Rodman claimed that he was open to taking a vacation to the country. However, he believed that moving there would mean never being able to visit the USA again.
The same might have been true for Jordan, had he taken up the initial invitation. Kim Jong Un might have been even more desperate to make Jordan stay back, considering the fact that he is only the greatest basketball player of all time.
