The 2.35 meter tall Asian giant trains in Canada despite being 32 years old; When the doors of the NBA opened, diplomacy between countries frustrated his dream.
Ri Myung Hun is an ex North Korean basketball player born in 1967 already he could have been an NBA player in the late ’90s. diplomacy in between United States and North Koreaalways getting worse, conspiring against chances to play in the elite.
At a basketball clinic in Pyongyangin 1998, it was discovered Tony RonzoneMember of FIBA and recruiter of Dallas Mavericks. Ronzone refused to travel to North Korea because of the political situation in the country, but they told him about a player from 2.35 in height and very good skills for this size, so he decided to go for it.
Despite being late to start playing basketball, Ry is in great shape and has expressed an equally fortunate room for improvement. He hadn’t played sports since he was a kid and everything changed when he saw Michael Jordan; such was his enchantment that he called himself michael ry. According to the story, Ronzone had to make countless efforts to get Ry out of the country and he did it before the end of 1998.
The player arrived in Canada at the age of 32 and began training. His height first and his abilities began to attract the attention of several franchises interested in acquiring him.
But in the United States there is a law (from 1917), which is still in force, called Act of Trading with the Enemy. There is a list of countries ‘forbidden’ where the government does not allow American companies to do business. After a strong request the The Department of State gave him a permit to play in the NBA in 2000 but it forbade him to send money to his country. According to North Korea’s beloved leader Kim Jong-Il refused to allow Ry to play in the United States and then he decided to withdraw and accept but on one condition, that he be paid in wheat.
Ry never got the chance to play in the NBA again and said this a few years ago: “I had a good life in North Korea, even without that contract.”
Source: Tycsports
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
