Ri Myung Hun

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Ri Myung Hun (born September 14, 1967) was a center with the national basketball team of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He was also known as Michael Ri, after his favorite basketball player, Michael Jordan. Once declared the tallest living human being in the world, he stands 7'8.5" (2.35m) tall and planned to play in the NBA in the 1990s.

In anticipation of joining the NBA, Ri briefly moved to Canada to undergo training with Jack Donahue, a former coach for the Canadian national men's basketball team. He underwent daily training, including weights, conditioning, and basketball practice. His daily regimen also included English lessons from teachers Holly and Heidi Hampson, and later Jerry Golland. But he failed because of the U.S. ban on trade with North Korea, which is set forth in a piece of legislation called the Trading With the Enemy Act. Eventually, Ri said he was content to remain playing basketball in the "bosom" of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il. In a game between North Korea and South Korea, Ri scored 26 points in 21 minutes, or 1.24 points every minute^{[citation needed]}.