Rodman teammates: We were treated like puppets of N. Korea

Basketball players who visited North Korea with former NBA player Dennis Rodman say they “regret” one after another.

Kenny Anderson, a retired basketball player, said in an interview with CNN on Tuesday that he left like being a puppet of North Korea, adding, “I didn’t think it was going to give me so much backlash.” He also said, “I got the phone call, a few hours before the game. My wife was crying. She was like, ‘don’t play.’ She was scared of my safety. So I had no choice. (…) I had to finish what I got into.” He added that his passport was taken upon his arrival in Pyongyang, and he played in the game out of fear.

He also said that he was not aware before the visit that the purpose of the visit was to celebrate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s birthday. However, he admitted that he should be responsible for his decision and he was upset at himself for that.

Cliff Robinson, another player who accompanied Rodman, said in an interview with CNN that he was “unaware of the (North Korean leader’s) birthday until he actually got to North Korea” and he was discouraged because many of his family and friends said they were “disappointed” at him.