Dennis Rodman reveals Kim Jong Un’s shocking request on first North Korea trip

Dennis Rodman admitted on **25 January 2013** that Kim Jong Un asked him to arrange a meeting with former NBA star Dennis Rodman during his first trip to North Korea.

What happened?

Rodman, then 52, traveled to Pyongyang as part of a basketball exhibition with former NBA players. The group included **Kenny Anderson, Vin Baker and Vinny Del Negro**. During the visit, Kim Jong Un reportedly made an unusual request: he wanted Rodman to set up a meeting with Dennis Rodman. The North Korean leader’s phrasing-“Would you take me?”-left Rodman stunned.

Why it matters for Dennis Rodman

The moment became one of the most surreal in sports diplomacy. Rodman’s trip drew global attention, not just for basketball but for its geopolitical ripple effects. Kim Jong Un’s fascination with the NBA and American sports culture was no secret. Yet asking Rodman to broker a meeting with himself exposed the oddity of the encounter. Rodman later called the request “crazy” but played along, framing it as part of basketball’s power to bridge divides.

What comes next?

Rodman returned to North Korea multiple times after that first visit. His trips sparked debate: was he a useful envoy or a naive participant in propaganda? The NBA distanced itself from Rodman’s visits, while U.S. officials kept their distance. Rodman defended his role, arguing sports could ease tensions. The 2013 trip set the tone for his later diplomatic forays, including meetings with Kim Jong Un himself.

The fallout

Critics slammed Rodman for legitimizing North Korea’s regime. Supporters credited him for opening rare dialogue. Either way, the “Would you take me?” line became a defining quote from a week that blurred sports, politics and spectacle in Pyongyang.