“You’re Gonna Kill Me”: Five Minutes With Dennis Rodman Ending Up Breathless on the Court Once Cost a Fan $2,350 for a Noble Cause

Dennis Rodman had an incredible NBA career spanning 14 years. He is famous for his stint with the Chicago Bulls, where he won a three-peat alongside Michael Jordan. However, he won a total of five champions, with the other two coming with the Detroit Pistons. After a successful NBA career, Rodman has been in the news for his appearances in professional wrestling and his trips to North Korea among others. Once, he was playing a game of HORSE for charity with Joe Terwilliger, his translator during his trips to North Korea, and gave up after just five minutes into the game.

Dennis Rodman first visited North Korea in 2013 and became friends with its leader, Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un is a huge Chicago Bulls fan. Joe Terwilliger, a geneticist and professor, used to accompany Rodman during his trips to North Korea. He served as a translator for Rodman during the visits.

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Rodman chose Joe Terwilliger to accompany him on the North Korea trips after a game of basketball at a charity event.

Dennis Rodman once cost Joe Terwilliger $2,350 during a game of HORSE for charity

Rodman once appeared to play a game of HORSE for charity in 2013. He came to an indoor facility called Basketball City in New York for the event. His journey partner to North Korea, Joe Terwilliger, had previously bid $2,350 in an online auction for a game with Rodman, with the proceeds going to an alcohol-and-drug rehab center. But Rodman gave up on the game soon after being tired.

“You’re gonna kill me, Dennis,” Terwilliger says. “I haven’t played the game in years.”

“Same here, brother,” says Rodman, according to an old Sports Illustrated report.

The two went on to play for five minutes and apparently took roughly 147 shots. “I give up. You shoot the rest,” Rodman soon after said. However, after a few shots, Terwilliger managed to hit a basket. Rodman shouted, “H-O-R-S-E!” after the shot.

Rodman and Terwilliger’s trips to North Korea

The former NBA star visited North Korea more than once. His entourage to North Korea included Terwilliger and Christopher Volo, a mixed-martial-arts fighter. The three spent time with Kim Jong-un during their trips. They had to enter North Korea via Beijing, where Rodman sought to keep a low profile.

“You know, it’s not easy hiding a six-foot-seven black guy with tongue piercings and tattoos in China,” said Terwilliger.

Indeed, China has a huge NBA fanbase and people know NBA players. Dennis Rodman was among the NBA greats during his time and surely has a lot of fans in China. But they managed to keep a low profile on their way to North Korea. But many have criticized Rodman’s trips due to North Korea’s troubling human rights record.

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