PORTLAND -- Former Portland Trailblazer Cliff Robinson said his intention on going to North Korea with Dennis Rodman had the simplest of intentions.
I went to Korea to interact with the people, their national team, play a exhibition game, he told CNN. Just try to spread the love of basketball.
He was unaware until they arrived that the game would be played on dictator Kim Jong Un's birthday.
Robinson was not asked in the CNN segment that aired specifically about Kenneth Bae, a former University of Oregon student being held for unspecified crimes.
He told CNN the players went through a range of emotions while in North Korea. All went with the same goals he had, Robinson said. I guess we didn't realize how much of an outcry we were going to get from home.
He refused to fault Rodman for what transpired in Korea. He said the players should have researched the current situation in Korea on their own. And they should have asked Rodman more questions about the trip.
Dennis is a great guy, Robinson said, Dennis is going to be Dennis. I don't want to sit here and ever put someone I've supported and throw them under the bus.
