Dennis Rodman Traveling to North Korea

Despite recent purging of Kim Jong-un's uncle

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman left for North Korea to help train its basketball team despite the country's turmoil, the online betting company sponsoring him said.

Paddy Power of Dublin spokesman Rory Scott said Tuesday that Rodman, owner of five NBA championship rings from his days with the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls, was to arrive in Beijing Tuesday then travel to North Korea Thursday with a documentary film crew, the New York Times reported.