PYONGYANG, Korea, Democratic People's Republic Of — Has Dennis Rodman, the former NBA star-turned pal of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, been benched for Chinese hoop legend Yao Ming? The former Houston Rockets centre and eight-time NBA all-star took centre court in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, on Tuesday as Chinese and North Korean basketball players held a friendly match, part of a high-profile sports exchange between the two countries intended to help thaw ties that had been growing chilly over the past year.