Former basketball star Dennis Rodman has reportedly checked into an undisclosed alcohol rehabilitation center, just days after returning from his controversial trip to North Korea, his agent said.
Mr. Rodman convinced a group of former NBA players to accompany him to North Korea earlier this month to play a friendly game of basketball in celebration of Kim Jong Un’s birthday.
He blamed alcohol for basically stating in a CNN interview from Pyongyang that captured American missionary Kenneth Bae may have done something to deserve his sentence of 15 years of hard labor in a North Korean prison camp.
“What was potentially a historic and monumental event turned into a nightmare for everyone concerned,” said his agent, Darren Prince, of Mr. Rodman’s return to the United States. “Dennis Rodman came back from North Korea in pretty rough shape emotionally. The pressure that was put on him to be a combination ’super human’ political figure and ’fixer’ got the better of him.”
“He is embarrassed, saddened and remorseful for the anger and hurt his words have caused,” his agent continued, the Associated Press reported. “His drinking escalated to a level that none of us had seen before. When he came back, I discussed with him on a personal level how concerned I was. We sat down and decided for him to go to rehab. It is a 28 or 30 day facility.”
Mr. Prince failed to disclose where Mr. Rodman is attending rehab, but a source close to the former basketball player said he’s being treated on the East Coast, CNN reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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