By Gary Anderson

September 11 - Dennis Rodman claims he will coach the North Korean basketball team in the run up to Rio 2016Five-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion Dennis Rodman has claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has asked him to train the North Korean basketball team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, ahead of two exhibition matches taking place in Pyongyang in January next year.

Rodman says he wants to use "basketball diplomacy" to improve relations between the reclusive communist state, also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPKR) and United States President Barack Obama, claiming that he will conduct the first ever television interview with Kim, whom he claims is a huge basketball fan and "wants to change", and also referred to the North Korean leader as a "friend for life".

"I would love to make this a gimmick and make a [bunch] of money, but it's not about the money," said Rodman.

"It's about trying to open Obama's and everyone's minds and, guess what, you don't have to talk about politics.

"Talk about anything in the world.

"Meet him [Kim] in Switzerland, meet him in London, meet him in Ireland, just meet him or even give him a call.

"That's all he wants."

Rodman won three NBA titles whilst playing with the Chicago BullsRodman won three NBA titles whilst playing with the Chicago Bulls





















































The former Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers player plans to return to North Korea in December, which will be his third trip to the country this year, to select players and train a team for two exhibition matches against an American team, set to take place on January 8 and January 10, in the capital Pyeongyang, and revealed that he hopes to convince some of his ex-teammates to take part, including Olympic gold medal winners Karl Malone and Scottie Pippin.

The controversial 52-year-old NBA Hall of Famer, was returning from his second visit to North Korea in six months and claimed that he met with Kim's wife Ri Sol and held their baby daughter Ju-ae.

"He's a good dad and has a beautiful family," said Rodman.

"The Marshal Kim and I had a relaxing time by the sea with his family.

"We shared many meals and drinks where we discussed our plans to play a historic friendship basketball game between North Korea and the US as well as ways to develop their basketball team."

Kim took over the leadership of North Korea following the death of his father Kim-Jong-il in 2011, who had taken over from his father and founder of the DKPR Kim Il-sung in 1994.

The country has been under communist control since the end of the Second World War in 1945, enduring near total isolation from the rest of the world since and has also been the subject of accusations of human rights abuses and developing nuclear weapons by the United Nations (UN).

Dennis Rodman claims North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "wants to change"Dennis Rodman claims North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "wants to change"
























The current North Korean leader, believed to be 30-years-old, ordered the launch of two long-range rockets and a nuclear test in February, and has been accused of authorising the use of torture and public executions.

"I've said this to him," added Rodman.

"I said, 'Your grandfather and your father did some bad things,' I said, 'but you are trying to change something.'"

In May, Rodman wrote a message on Twitter calling for Kim to release Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American Christian missionary who was arrested in North Korea last year and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour, after being accused of plotting to overthrow the Government.

When asked about this at a press conference in New York, Rodman said it wasn't his job to secure Bae's release but suggested what he called "basketball diplomacy" might help Bae's case.

The North Korean basketball team has never competed at an Olympic Games but has appeared at the Asian Basketball Championships and the Asian Games on a number of occasions, with its best finish coming at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, where it picked up a bronze medal.

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