LONDON --, incoming NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the former all-star also helped raise awareness of leader Kim Jong Uns "repressive regime. Cheap Justin Lawler Jersey ." Rodman took a group of retired NBA players to the pariah state this month to play a game as a gift for Kim, a move criticized by some members of the U.S. Congress, human rights groups and the NBA. Rodman, the highest-profile American to meet Kim, has stressed he is not a statesman and is only seeking to build cultural ties between Pyongyang and Washington through basketball. But the 52-year-old Rodman has been denounced for not trying to use his influence with Kim to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, an American missionary with health problems who is being held in North Korea on charges of "anti-state" crimes. Although Rodman has been accused of becoming a public relations tool for North Koreas government, Silver regards the publicity from the trips helping to shine a light on a country with a poor human rights record. "As negative as that trip was in so many ways it also brought attention to a critical issue in North Korea that ... most Americans hadnt focused on at all in terms of a repressive regime," Silver said on Thursday in London ahead of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks. At the start of the Jan. 8 game in Pyongyang, Rodman sang "Happy Birthday" to Kim, who was seated at the stadium, and bowed deeply as North Korean players clapped. Silver, who succeeds David Stern as commissioner on Feb. 1, said the NBA persuaded some former players not to participate in the game. "We did talk directly with certain other players who decided not to go," Silver said after appearing at a meeting organized by the Sport Industry Group. "In terms of any damage done to the NBA, we dont think there was any damage done to the NBA ... the fact basketball happens to be very popular in North Korea I dont think is a negative for our league. "And it just demonstrates that its not just basketball but all sports bring tremendous opportunities." And, with the Nets owned by Russian businessman Mikhail Prokhorov, the NBA is looking beyond the U.S. for more investment in franchises. Stern said there are discussions with investors from China, Latin America and the Middle East, in particular those in oil-rich United Arab Emirates whose "connection to the governing families is quite close." Efforts to grow the NBA beyond U.S. shores in Britain have been limited, despite Thursdays regular-season game at the O2 Arena being the fourth in four years at the venue. While acknowledging that "football is king" in England, the NBA feels that its efforts to intensify interest have not been matched by a commitment from the government and local groups to promote the game and build facilities. Silver described the club infrastructure as being "not on a par" with other basketball nations. "We would have thought there would have been more growth," Silver said. "For whatever reason basketball hasnt caught on here," he added. "And I think there has been an absence of leadership and we have to fill the vacuum." Having expected a strong basketball legacy from the 2012 London Olympics, the NBA was disappointed the chance was not grasped. "I would say lost opportunity rather than wasted opportunity -- every government has their priorities but given how popular a venue (basketball) was during the Olympics, it should have been the launching pad for additional things happening," Silver said. "There are all kinds of reasons why governments should be getting behind the sport." Stern went further, saying: "I know the debate about physical activity in schools, but if you shut down the gyms you cant have basketball games." Cheap Marcus Peters Jersey . Notes on Bergeron, Marchand, Gorges, Vanek, Gaborik, Doughty, Hiller and more. BRUINS STORM BACK TO TAKE GAME TWO The Boston Bruins rallied from a 3-1 deficit, scoring four unanswered goals, to win Game Two, 5-3 over the Montreal Canadiens. Cheap Rob Havenstein Jersey .com) - The Toronto Raptors are paying Rudy Gay a visit on Wednesday night when they head into the Sleep Train Arena to take on the Sacramento Kings. http://www.cheapramsjerseyselite.com/?tag=cheap-tyler-higbee-jersey . -- Patrick Kueng of Switzerland was nearly flawless as he captured his first World Cup and halted Aksel Lund Svindals streak of four straight super-G victories on Saturday.Vancouver, BC (SportsNetwork.com) - Devan Dubnyk stopped 35 shots to lead the Minnesota Wild in a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Zach Parise, Jason Zucker, Thomas Vanek and Jared Spurgeon all scored for the Wild, who have won their past three games. Daniel Sedin and Ronalds Kenins scored for the Canucks, who have dropped three of four. Ryan Miller allowed three goals on 19 shots in the loss. After a scoreless first period, the Wild took a 1-0 lead at 7:26 of the second as Parise charged down the left wing fighting off a checker, throwing the puck on net from a sharp angle that got past Miller. Exactly two minutes later on the power play, Spurgeons slap shot from the left point found the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. Vancouver had a goal waved off three minutes into the third period when Radim Vrbata was ruled to have impeded Dubnyks ability to get into position. The Wild made it a 3-0 game at 7:08 in the third period when Vaneeks big slap shot from the right circle found the left corner of the net for his 10th goal of the season. Cheap Ogbonnia Okoronkwo Jersey. Vancouver made it a game with a pair of goals separated by 1:01, and got it started on Kenins first career goal as his wrister from the left wing found the back of the net at 12:20. Off a left circle faceoff win, Vrbata was about to take the puck behind the net, but slipped the disc back to Sedin, who quickly snapped it in to make it a one-goal game. The Canucks pulled Miller with two minutes to play and had several good chances, but Dubnyk came up with the stops and Zucker sealed the victory with an empty-net goal inside the final minute. Game Notes Minnesota hosts Chicago on Tuesday while Vancouver hosts Winnipeg ... Minnesota was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Vancouver went 0-for-4 ... Mikael Granlund had two assists for the Wild. Cheap Steelers Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Eagles Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Cheap Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys ' ' '