"I got hatred after that"- Dennis Rodman had to seek help after he helped rescue an American POW from North Korea
Dennis Rodman's prime years in basketball and post-retirement have been marred with controversies. Nearly 20 years later, nothing much has changed in that regard. In 2017, Rodman made the spotlight for the wrong reasons again when he made a trip to North Korea, which might have played a role in freeing a prisoner of war (POW), who died after his release.
Rodman shared the story and his state of mind following that incident during a recent interview on Vlad TV, saying:
"He was always sick... Once I was getting off the plane, there was a G5. A private plane right there. And I looked over I said, 'who was that?'"
Rodman added:
"They said, 'This one was a prisoner that was over here.' I was like, 'Oh lord!' I'm thinking... I think I had something to do with that... But I got hatred after that... I had to go rehab."
The POW in question here is Otto Warmbier. He was imprisoned after North Korean authorities suspected he had stolen a propaganda poster. His release was on the same day as Dennis Rodman's visit to the country, which led the former champion and several others to believe that his visit got Warmbier released.
Rodman's relationship with the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, as a close friend, may have played a part in that. However, Rodman faced heat from the public following Warmbier's death as they reckoned the former to be the reason behind the latter's release.
Warmbier was flown back home while in a coma due to a neurological injury that led to his prolonged unconsciousness. He died six days after his return to the US. Dennis Rodman's relations with Kim Jong Un saw him face severe heat amid the tensions between the countries regarding Warmbier's health condition after getting convicted in North Korea and his eventual death shortly after his release.
Dennis Rodman's personal and professional life has been tumultuous
Being Dennis Rodman isn't as easy as it seems. He's bold, brave and seems unbothered at most times, but that's just the overview of his life. Right from his playing days, Rodman has been in a battle to right all his wrongs.
From facing major downs in his career, with off-court troubles and disciplinary issues, to being a three-time NBA champion alongside Michael Jordan, Rodman's probably seen it all.
A political issue is something he may not want to be a part of in 2017, but that's another piece of trouble he invited during his untimely visit to North Korea, with Nuclear tensions flying around.
Needless to say, Rodman's life has been tumultuous, but one would have to appreciate his ability to work on himself to get better and learn from these situations.