Dennis Rodman checks into alcohol rehab

Dennis Rodman has checked into an East Coast alcohol-rehabilitation center, a source close to Rodman told CNN.

Rodman entered the center Wednesday, according to the source. It's not clear how long he will remain in rehab.

Rodman -- a former standout on the NBA's Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls who is well known for his tattoos, piercings and colorful behavior -- recently returned to the United States after a controversial visit to North Korea.

He said alcohol was one reason he told CNN that Kenneth Bae -- who has been held in North Korea since 2012 -- may have done something to deserve his sentence of 15 years hard labor.

After Bae's family complained, Rodman apologized, saying he was under stress and had been drinking when he was interviewed.

The 52-year-old Rodman led a team of former pro basketball players in a game in North Korea and sang "Happy Birthday" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.