Amanda Knapp
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a self-proclaimed basketball enthusiast. He is said to have inherited his love for the sport from his father, Kim Jong Il, who was also a fan of the game and the NBA. During his school days in Switzerland, Kim Jong Un was described as a fiercely competitive basketball player who was tough and fast. He was reportedly obsessed with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and his fascination with the sport has persisted well into his tenure as Supreme Leader. Kim Jong Un's interest in basketball has even influenced his diplomatic relations, as he invited former Chicago Bulls player Dennis Rodman to visit North Korea and develop a friendship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Likes basketball | Yes |
| Fan of the Chicago Bulls | Yes |
| Fan of Michael Jordan | Yes |
| Fan of Kobe Bryant | Yes |
| Fan of Toni Kukoč | Yes |
| Had a friendship with Dennis Rodman | Yes |
| Wanted to meet famous basketball players as part of a nuclear deal with the US | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
Kim Jong Un's fascination with basketball began in his youth
Kim's fascination with basketball extended beyond his school years and persisted into his adulthood. He was reported to be a fan of the National Basketball Association and Michael Jordan, and he even struck up a friendship with former Chicago Bulls player Dennis Rodman, inviting him to visit North Korea before his first summit with US President Donald Trump. Kim's love for basketball was so strong that he demanded the US send "famous basketball players" to North Korea to assist in normalizing relations between the two nations.
Kim's interest in basketball may have been influenced by his father, Kim Jong Il, who was also reported to have enjoyed the sport. Kenji Fujimoto, Kim Jong Il's former personal chef, described an episode where the young Kim Jong Un questioned his lavish lifestyle, mentioning playing basketball among other activities. Additionally, Kim Jong Il initiated changes to the basketball scoring rules in North Korea, which his son later amended.
Kim Jong Un's fascination with basketball has been well-documented, and it has played an interesting role in his relationships with other world leaders and his approach to diplomacy. His passion for the sport has also influenced the cultural aspects of basketball in North Korea, including the unique and peculiar set of scoring rules that the country follows.
In summary, Kim Jong Un's fascination with basketball began during his youth in Switzerland and has persisted throughout his life, even influencing his diplomatic strategies and cultural contributions to the sport in North Korea.
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He is a fan of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a well-known basketball fan. He is particularly fond of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. In fact, he spent hours drawing meticulous pencil sketches of Jordan, who played for the Chicago Bulls. Kim Jong Un's fascination with the American National Basketball Association and Michael Jordan was noted by his classmates when he attended school in Switzerland.
Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, was also a basketball enthusiast. He requested to meet Michael Jordan, but Jordan declined. However, in a goodwill gesture, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright presented Kim Jong Il with an NBA basketball signed by Jordan. Kim Jong Un inherited his father's passion for the sport and has taken his fandom to new heights.
Kim Jong Un's love for basketball has even influenced his diplomatic endeavours. He famously struck up a friendship with former Chicago Bulls player Dennis Rodman, inviting him to North Korea and engaging in activities like jet-skiing, karaoke, and drinking. Kim Jong Un also demanded that the United States send "famous basketball players" as part of nuclear negotiations, showcasing how seriously he takes his interest in the sport.
Kim Jong Un's affinity for basketball and the Chicago Bulls has persisted throughout his tenure as the Supreme Leader of North Korea. His passion for the game has led to what some have termed ''basketball diplomacy,'' with Rodman's visits to North Korea being a notable example. Kim Jong Un's interest in basketball has added an intriguing layer to his leadership and has even sparked speculation about the potential for improved relations through a shared love of the sport.
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He has a friendship with former Bulls player Dennis Rodman
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a well-known basketball enthusiast. He is said to have been fascinated by the American National Basketball Association and Michael Jordan while growing up in Switzerland. He also spent hours drawing the Chicago Bulls superstar.
Kim Jong-un's interest in basketball has continued into his adulthood and tenure as Supreme Leader. This is evident through his friendship with former Chicago Bulls player Dennis Rodman. Rodman first visited North Korea in 2013, making him the most high-profile American to meet Kim since he took power in 2011. Rodman and Kim watched the Harlem Globetrotters together and dined on sushi and alcohol at Kim's palace. Rodman addressed Kim before a crowd of thousands, telling him, "You have a friend for life."
Kim Jong-un invited Rodman to visit North Korea again before his first summit with President Donald Trump. Rodman cautioned that the summit "should go fairly well, but people should not expect so much for the first time." Kim's interest in basketball also extended to his desire for basketball diplomacy. He demanded that the U.S. send "famous basketball players" to North Korea to normalise relations between the two nations.
Despite the seemingly positive impact of Rodman's visits, some have questioned the effectiveness of these trips in achieving tangible diplomatic outcomes. While Rodman claimed his later visits were peace missions, it is unclear what, if any, tangible results were achieved. However, it is worth noting that one of his trips coincided with the release of Otto Warmbier.
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He demanded the US send 'famous basketball players' as part of a nuclear deal
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a well-known basketball enthusiast. He grew up watching Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, and his fascination with the sport has continued into his tenure as Supreme Leader. In school, Kim reportedly spent hours drawing meticulous pencil sketches of Jordan and was described by classmates as a sports enthusiast who was indifferent to political issues.
Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, shared his son's love for basketball and had requested to meet Jordan. Although this meeting never took place, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright presented Kim Jong Il with a basketball signed by Jordan.
Kim Jong Un's affinity for basketball has influenced his diplomatic endeavours as well. In the lead-up to his first summit with US President Donald Trump, Kim struck up a friendship with former Chicago Bulls forward Dennis Rodman, inviting him to visit North Korea. Rodman accepted the invitation and travelled to North Korea, where he and Kim rode jet skis, sang karaoke, and went drinking.
However, Rodman's visit did not satisfy Kim's passion for basketball. Ahead of the second summit with President Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2019, Kim demanded that the US send "famous basketball players" to North Korea as a condition for normalizing bilateral relations. This request was made in writing and communicated to the US officials. Kim even wanted the athletes included in the potential joint statement on denuclearization as part of a cultural exchange. Unfortunately, a deal could not be reached, and relations between the two nations continued to deteriorate.
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Kim Jong Un's father was also a fan of basketball
Kim Jong Un is known to be a fan of basketball. He is said to have been fascinated by the American National Basketball Association and Michael Jordan while growing up in Switzerland. He also spent hours drawing the Chicago Bulls superstar. This fascination with basketball has persisted well into his tenure as the Supreme Leader of North Korea. He even struck up a friendship with former Bulls forward Dennis Rodman, who was one of the first Americans to meet Kim. Rodman described Kim as a "friend for life" and suggested that former US President Barack Obama reach out to Kim since they both shared an interest in basketball.
Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, was also a fan of the sport. Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson recalled that during his visit to North Korea in 2000, Kim Jong Il, through his foreign ministry officials, wanted him to extend an invitation to Michael Jordan. However, Jordan declined the request. Instead, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright gifted the North Koreans a basketball signed by Jordan.
Kim Jong Un's interest in basketball is believed to have been influenced by his father's love for the sport. Kenji Fujimoto, Kim Jong Il's personal chef, described Kim Jong Un as "a chip off the old block" and a "spitting image of his father" in terms of face, body shape, and personality. This suggests that Kim Jong Un may have inherited his passion for basketball from his father.
In addition to his love for the sport, Kim Jong Un has also been reported to have a fascination with famous basketball players. He demanded that the US send "famous basketball players" to North Korea as part of denuclearization talks. This request was made in writing before the second summit between Kim Jong Un and former US President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2019.
Kim Jong Un's interest in basketball has continued throughout his life, and it is believed that he even played the sport while growing up. His fascination with the sport has also led him to befriend former NBA players and invite them to North Korea.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Kim Jong Un is a self-proclaimed self-proclaimed "die-hard basketball fan". He is said to have inherited his love for the sport from his father, Kim Jong Il, who was also a fan of basketball.
Kim Jong Un is a fan of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s. He also struck up a friendship with former Bulls forward Dennis Rodman, inviting him to North Korea.
Kim Jong Un demanded that the U.S. send "famous basketball players" to North Korea to help normalise bilateral relations. He even brought his love of basketball into nuclear negotiations with Washington, demanding that access to basketball stars be part of any nuclear deal.
Kim Jong Un is said to enjoy computer games, Jackie Chan action movies, riding horses, riding jet skis, karaoke, and drinking.
Yes, Kim Jong Un played basketball at school and was described as "fiercely competitive" on the court, as well as "tough and fast".
