NBA Commissioner David Stern distanced himself and the league from Dennis Rodman in a statement on Tuesday.
“The NBA is not involved with Mr. Rodman’s North Korea trip and would not participate or support such a venture without the approval of the U.S. State Department,” Stern said. “Although sports in many instances can be helpful in bridging cultural divides, this is not one of them.”
Rodman traveled to North Korea for an exhibition game for his friend, Kim Jong-un, and has been resoundingly criticized for ignoring the country’s human rights abuses.