Reuters – Former National Basketball Association player Dennis Rodman is expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday (June 13) for a trip the United States State Department said was not an official US visit, CNN reported on Monday (June 12).
Rodman, who has met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on past trips to Pyongyang, declined to answer questions when he was seen by CNN reporters at Beijing International Airport, the network said.
In 2013, Rodman visited North Korea to film a television documentary with representatives of the Harlem Globetrotters celebrity team and called the leader of the reclusive country “an awesome kid.”
Representatives for Rodman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
CNN, citing two unnamed North Korean officials, said Rodman was expected to arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday, but gave no additional details on the purpose of the trip.
Rodman, nicknamed “The Worm” during his playing career and known for his tattoos, body piercings and multi-colored hair, is considered one of the best defensive players and rebounders in NBA history.
He won five league championships with Detroit and Chicago and is a member of basketball’s Hall of Fame.
