Who Said It: the Great Leader or the Great Rebounder?

On Tuesday, former NBA star and current madman Dennis Rodman announced that he was visiting North Korea to conduct "basketball diplomacy" and run a basketball camp for North Korean children. Rodman, known for his extravagant lifestyle and wild excess, is visiting North Korea, one of the world’s drabbest, most isolated states — but maybe they’re not so ...

By , Asia editor at Foreign Policy from 2014-2016.
613278_rodman2.jpg
613278_rodman2.jpg
SPRINGFIELD, MA - AUGUST 12: Inductee Dennis Rodman arrives to the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on August 12, 2011 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

On Tuesday, former NBA star and current madman Dennis Rodman announced that he was visiting North Korea to conduct "basketball diplomacy" and run a basketball camp for North Korean children. Rodman, known for his extravagant lifestyle and wild excess, is visiting North Korea, one of the world’s drabbest, most isolated states — but maybe they’re not so different after all…

We here at Foreign Policy are big fans of our "Who Said It" format, but honestly this one seemed like a bit of a stretch. Until we started looking for quotes, that is.

Can you tell Kim Il Sung, the country’s now-deceased dictator who ruled from 1949-1994 (and who still holds the title of Eternal President), from Rodman, who led the NBA in rebounds per game for seven consecutive years? 

1. "He frequently arranged parties for them, as well as opium-smoking for drug addicts."

2. "This life is like a swimming pool. You dive into the water, but you can’t see how deep it is."

3. "Death has always had a prominent place in my mind. There are times when I think somebody might kill me." 

4. "I always live with optimism." 

5. "I just wanted to kill the individual, because I was too much of a follower."

6. "They say Elvis is dead. I say, no, you’re looking at him. Elvis isn’t dead; he just changed color."

7. "The basketball court of the school was being monopolized by the school’s basketball team and other students were off-limit to the court. Sang Wol’s proposal did not ride well with some of the basketball players and they schemed to assault Sang Wol on his way home…."Hmm, that athletics teacher, Mah, has trained his running-dogs well. Those worthless worms!"

Answers below the break:

 

 

 

Answers: 1. Kim, 2. DR, 3. DR, 4. Kim, 5. DR 6. Sadly, DR 7. Kim..ok, maybe that one’s not that hard. 

Isaac Stone Fish was Asia editor at Foreign Policy from 2014-2016. Twitter: @isaacstonefish

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